Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer off Port Hardy

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1975 at 0015 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6813D
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Anchorage - Ketchikan - Greybull
MSN:
59876
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
Tanker 125
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1482
Circumstances:
During 1975, '13D was under contract to the US Department of the Interior and based at Anchorage, Alaska. Total flight time was approximately 1475 hours. On Friday, 8 August 197 5, the aircraft was being flown back to the lower 48 States from Anchorage with an eventual destination of Greybull, Wyoming. One engine had been shut down due to its running rough, and we understand that a planned fuel stop at Ketchikan, Alaska, was missed because of bad weather. Shortly after midnight on Saturday, 9 August, after seven hours of flight, BuNo 59876 ran out of fuel, and the engines that were still in operation began to quit! Luckily, they were over the northern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, and below was the 5000 foot paved runway at Port Hardy. Unbelievably , during final approach with only one engine still running, the pilot considered he was too high to land and attempted to go-around! The aircraft struck the ground during the turn, crashed through the airport perimeter fence, crossed the rock and driftwood strewn beach, and came to rest in the ocean, approximately 100 yards offshore! When the radio operator in the control tower lost contact with the plane, he immediately sounded the alarm in the airport fire station. Since no aircraft, nor fire, could be seen, it was felt the plane must have gone down short of the airport, and a search was started in that area. When the aircraft finally came to a stop, the two-man crew was unsure of where they were and what had happened. Almost immediately, the cockpit started to fill with water, and the men struggled to climb out a roof escape hatch. After standing on top of the aircraft for a short while, they spotted a seat cushion floating by, grabbed it, and swam the hundred or so yards to shore. When they arrived on land, their legs were so cold they could not stand. After a short rest, the crew scrambled in the dark over logs and through bushes, and made it to the airport boundary fence. During this same time period, the fire and rescue crews decided the plane must have gone off the runway and into the ocean, so they returned to the airport to resume their search. As the pilot and copilot approached the fence, they saw an emergency vehicle speed toward them down the runway and then continue on by until it stopped at the hole in the fence where the plane had crashed through on its way to the ocean. A short time later, another truck arrived. They were able to get the attention of the driver by shouting and waving. The flight crew was taken to the fire hall where they were given blankets and hot drinks until an ambulance took them to the hospital for examination. Both the pilot and copilot received only minor injuries during their ordeal. The pilot was fired by H&P, but the copilot remained with the company, only to be killed in the crash of a C119 during 1980. N6813D received substantial damage to its nose gear and underbelly, and the left wing tip and flap were destroyed.
Source: http://pb4y-2.org/pdf/all.pdf
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-15-DT Invader near Gates Lake: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GHLM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
18820
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
Tanker 24
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission under call sign 'Tanker 24' in the region of Gates Lake, about 21 km northeast of Pemberton. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing the pilot.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Williams Lake

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-RDI
Flight Phase:
MSN:
35
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Williams Lake somewhere in June 1975 (exact date unknown). The occupant's fate remains unknown as well.

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose on Mt Hooper: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-FPVE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tofino - Nanaimo
MSN:
1200
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the seaplane struck the slope of Mt Hooper located 45 km southwest of Nanaimo. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 11 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C Invader on Mt Stoyoma: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-DFC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
7111
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While engaged in a fire fighting mission, the twin engine airplane crashed on the slope of Mt Stoyoma located 97 km southwest of Kamloops. The wreckage was found two days later and both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B near Kamloops: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-PWA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
44698
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Kamloops while engaged in a fire fighting mission. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Grumman G-73 Mallard in Prince Rupert: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-HPA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Prince Rupert - Masset
MSN:
J-7
YOM:
1946
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
About two minutes after it took off from Prince Rupert seaplane base, the pilot initiated a turn when the airplane lost height and crashed onto a mountain slope located about 3 km southeast of Prince Rupert. The wreckage was found a day later and while seven occupants were rescued, three others, among them the pilot, were killed.

Crash of a Grumman CS-2F-3 Tracker on Vancouver Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
12170
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Comox - Comox
MSN:
DH69
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Comox on a SAR mission after a Stinson 108 was missing. At 1800LT, the crew informed ground he was returning to his base when the contact was interrupted few minutes later. The wreckage was found on Vancouver Island. Two crew members were rescued while two others were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 421 Golden Eagle near Chetwynd: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CF-XWI
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Edmonton - Chetwynd
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Edmonton, carrying engineers and employees from the Western Construction & Lumber Company en route to Chetwynd on a mining prospective program. En route, the pilot encountered marginal weather conditions and informed ATC about his position vertical to Dawson Creek, this was the last radio contact. While approaching Chetwynd in poor weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Wartenbe located 14 km southeast of the airport. Due to the ELT transmitter, the wreckage was quickly localized but unfortunately, all six occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the mountain was shrouded in clouds and the visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain. It was determined that the pilot was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Crash of a Dornier DO.28A-1S in Charlie Lake

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-PIY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charlie Lake - Redfern Lake
MSN:
3039
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Charlie Lake, the seaplane hit obstacles and crashed. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.