Yellowknife

Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. The aircraft was loaded in such a manner that the C of G was beyond the rearward limit. This resulted in the aircraft’s aerodynamic pitch control limitation being exceeded.
2. A weight and balance report was not completed by the pilot prior to departure and, as a consequence, he was unaware of the severity of the aft C of G position.
Finding as to Risk:
1. The weight of the passengers was underestimated due to the use of standard weights. This increased the potential of inadvertently loading the aircraft in excess of its maximum certified take-off weight.

Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. For undetermined reasons, the pilot did not maintain adequate altitude during a night circling approach in IMC and the aircraft struck the ground.
2. The pilot and front seat passenger were not wearing available shoulder harnesses, as required by regulation, which likely contributed to the severity of their injuries.
Findings as to Risk:
1. The aircraft was not fitted with, and was not required to be fitted with, a GPWS or a radio altimeter.
2. The pilot used an unauthorized remote altimeter setting that would have resulted in the cockpit altimeters reading approximately 200 feet higher than the actual altitude.
3. The pilot did not meet the night recency requirements necessary to carry passengers, as specified in CAR 401.05 (2).
4. Risk management responsibilities had been placed almost entirely on the pilot.
5. While the company had taken the voluntary initiative to appoint a safety officer, and appeared to have a safety program in place, the program may not have been directed at the needs.
Other Findings:
1. Approximately 28 hours of flight time that the pilot had logged as multi-engine dual would not have qualified as flight experience for the issue of a higher license.
2. CAR do not define 'flight familiarization', 'flight experience', or 'dual', and therefore do not address flight time 'quality'.
3. Opportunities for local community searchers to identify and access the accident site earlier were hampered by initial inaccurate SARSAT location information, by the time required to locate SAR aircraft to the Fort Liard area, and by darkness and poor weather conditions.
4. The decreased time required to alert the SAR system and the higher degree of accuracy permitted by the utilization of a 406 MHz ELT, particularly one interfaced with the onboard GPS, would have likely permitted rescuers to access the site in a more timely manner.
5. 703 Air Taxi operations continue to have a much higher accident rate than 704 Commuter and 705 Airline operations.

Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. Incorrect bounced landing recovery procedures were carried out when the captain pushed forward on the control column to prevent a further bounce, and the aircraft landed nosewheel first.
2. The high sink rate on the initial flare was not recognized and corrected in time to prevent a bounced landing and a subsequent bounced landing.
Other Findings:
1. The power increase during the flair resulted in the speedbrake/spoilers retracting.
2. The captain had not received a line check of at least three sectors before returning to flight duties, although this check was required to regain competency after pilot proficiency check expiry.

Double engine failure on final approach caused by fuel exhaustion.

For reasons not as yet determined, the starboard engine failed and as a result of being overloaded, the aircraft did not maintain altitude on one engine and struck the ground with the starboard wing tip. A further contributory factor was considered to be the failure of the copilot's vacuum-driven gyro instruments, without his knowledge.

It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was 1,400 pounds above the MTOW. Investigations revealed that the aircraft was parked on the ramp for six days prior to the accident and the crew failed to deice the plane before departure. No deicing, defrosting or contaminent removal was performed prior to departure. In such conditions, the aircraft failed to gain height due to a loss of lift, loss of aerodynamic performances and a subsequent overload.