Newfoundland & Labrador

A wheel/ski-equipped DHC-3 Otter aircraft was on the return leg of a charter flight to Snegamook Lake to retrieve a hunting party of four, along with their hunting gear and bounty of several hundred ptarmigan. It departed Snegamook Lake at 09:15. After takeoff, the engine began to run rough but improved somewhat when the power was reduced for cruising. As the aircraft was approaching Nipishish Lake, the pilot reported to company dispatch that the engine was again running rough, but he was able to maintain altitude, and he would follow the Crooked River toward Goose Bay in case a precautionary landing became necessary. Three minutes later, C-FAGM called dispatch again, advising them that he was intending to land on a large area on the Crooked River. He also indicated that there was an odour of smoke in the aircraft. The aircraft was in a nose-down, left- bank attitude, with the flaps fully extended and the skis retracted when it struck the frozen surface of the river. The Otter bounced clear of the surface, turned left came to rest in an upright position.

On 11 December 1985, Arrow Air Flight MF1285R, a Douglas DC-8-63, U.S. registration N950JW, departed Cairo, Egypt on an international charter flight to Fort Campbell, Kentucky (Ky), U.S.A. via Cologne, Germany, and Gander, Newfoundland. On board were 8 crew members and 248 passengers. The flight was the return portion of the second in a series of three planned troop rotation flights originating at McChord Air Force Base (AFB), Washington, U.S.A. and terminating in Fort Campbell. The flight had been chartered by the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) to transport troops, their personal effects, and some military equipment to and from peacekeeping duties in the Sinai Desert. All 248 passengers who departed Cairo on 11 December 1985 were members of 101st Airborne Division (United States Army), based in Fort Campbell. The flight departed Cairo at 2035 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and arrived at Cologne at 0121, 12 December 1985 for a planned technical stop. A complete crew change took place following which the flight departed for Gander at 0250. The flight arrived at Gander at 0904. Passengers were deplaned, the aircraft was refuelled, trash and waste water were removed, and catering supplies were boarded. The flight engineer was observed to conduct an external inspection of portions of the aircraft. The passengers then reboarded. Following engine start-up, the aircraft was taxied via taxiway "D" and runway 13 to runway 22 for departure. Take-off on runway 22 was begun from the intersection of runway 13 at 1015. The aircraft was observed to proceed down the runway and rotate in the vicinity of taxiway "A". Witnesses to the take-off reported that the aircraft gained little altitude after rotation and began to descend. Several witnesses, who were travelling on the Trans-Canada Highway approximately 900 feet beyond the departure end of runway 22, testified that the aircraft crossed the highway, which is at a lower elevation than the runway, at a very low altitude. Three described a yellow/orange glow emanating from the aircraft. Two of the witnesses testified that the glow was bright enough to illuminate the interior of the truck cabs they were driving. The third attributed the glow to the reflection of the runway approach lighting on the aircraft. Several witnesses observed the aircraft in a right bank as it crossed the Trans-Canada Highway. The pitch angle was also seen to increase, but the aircraft continued to descend until it struck downsloping terrain approximately 3,000 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a severe fuel-fed fire. All 256 occupants on board sustained fatal injuries.

The twin engine aircraft departed Sydney-J. A. Douglas McCurdy Airport on a survey flight to Stephenville. En route, it struck the slope of Table Mountain located about 17 km northwest of Channel-Port-aux-Basques. all three occupants were killed.

The Twin Otter departed Goose Bay on a medical evacuation flight to St. Anthony. The flight was uneventful and landed in St. Anthony at 15:24. At 16:02, the aircraft departed St. Anthony on a VFR flight back to Goose Bay. On board were the two pilots and the doctor and nurse. Approaching the Goose Bay Airport, weather became marginal, but the crew continued visual flight. The crew likely encountered near zero forward visibility in snow showers and fog; it is probable that they were able to maintain vertical contact with the ground and were confident they could continue flight with visual reference to the ground. The crew may not have been able to see terrain ahead and therefore may not have been able to determine if the aircraft would clear the hills, particularly, when steep hills were encountered. The plane struck a rock outcropping 100 feet below the summit of a 2,050-foot mountain. After bouncing twice, the Twin Otter had come to rest in a small, wooded gully, approximately 350 feet from the initial point of impact.

Upon touchdown at St John's Airport, the left main gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on its belly and was damaged beyond repair. All eight occupants evacuated safely.

Crashed in unknown circumstances upon landing in Cartwright. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Shortly after takeoff from St John's Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed on the slope of Mt Picco's Ridge located near Portugal Cove, about six km west of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Gerald Eichel, pilot,
Michael Fitzpatrick, copilot.
Passengers:
Bill Manning,
Marc Laterreur,
B. Napier Simpson Jr.,
Robert Painchaud,
Jules Leger,
Jacqueline Leger,
Brenda Babbits,
Alex Babbits.
Source: www.planecrashgirl.ca

The pilot declared an emergency following an in-flight fire. The airplane crash landed in a frozen lake located near Indian Harbor, east coast of Newfoundland. The pilot, sole on board, escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.

The corporate jet HS-125 aircraft departed Montreal at 2123 (GMT), 9 December 1977 with Churchill Falls as destination. The estimated time en route was 1 hour 45 minutes. The flight proceeded normally and was in contact with Air Traffic Services en route. When in range of Churchill Falls the flight received a clearance for the approach from Moncton ATC. At 2228Z the pilot acknowledged the clearance to the Churchill Falls airport and received the latest weather. The aircraft left cruising altitude shortly thereafter; the descent was normal to the minimum initial altitude for the instrument approach. The flight reported outbound to Churchill Falls advisory at approximately 2252Z. The final transmission from the crew was that they were two miles back on final with a confirmation that they could see the strobe lights and the VASIS. Moncton Centre was alerted shortly after 2300Z when it was evident that the aircraft had not landed. A local search was initiated with two helicopters from the airport but because of deteriorating weather, the search had to be discontinued and the aircraft was not found that night. Search and Rescue were alerted at 2314Z. Near blizzard conditions occurred that night and the next day, December 10. It wasn't until 11 December that the air search was resumed and the aircraft was located two miles short of the threshold of runway 14. There was no sign of life.

While descending by night to Twin Falls, both engines stopped simultaneously. Due to loss of speed, the airplane lost height. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane struck power cables and crashed in a snow covered field. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.