Austin Airways

The aircraft, with two crew members, two passengers, and a load of cargo, struck a 150-foot-high radio tower, while the crew was manoeuvring to land in poor weather. As the aircraft then became difficult to control, the crew carried out a wheels-up forced landing. During the landing, the cargo of drums containing automotive gasoline broke free, causing damage and trapping the passengers. Once the drums were moved, the passengers were able to leave the aircraft through the cockpit escape hatch. The pilot-in-command and a passenger were seriously injured. The Canadian Aviation Safety Board determined that the flight was continued into below VFR weather conditions. In addition, it was determined that the cargo had not been secured in accordance with the requirements of the company's operating certificate.

The Twin Otter was completing a schedule service from Sandy Lake to Thunder Bay with an intermediate stop in Landsdowne House, carrying five passengers and two pilots. On approach, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. A second circuit was completed without losing sight of the airfield. During the second attempt to land, the pilot-in-command reported 'runway in sight' and the copilot called for radioaltimer at 200 feet altitude. On short final, the captain reported he was encountering whiteout conditions when the airplane struck the snow-covered and icy surface of the lake about 1,200 feet short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the nose gear was torn off then the aircraft struck rocky terrain and eventually came to rest in flames about 600 feet short of runway. A passenger was seriously injured while both pilots escaped with minor injuries. Four passengers were killed in the accident.

On final approach to Big Trout Lake Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility. On final, the twin engine airplane struck an NDB tower and crashed. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while nine other occupants were injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimums.

The aircraft was loaded with two rubber cargo bladders, filled with 1600 Imp gallons of aviation gasoline. The aircraft was parked overnight, until at 05:40 the 2 crew members arrived to perform the pre-departure checks. A smell of Avgas fumes was detectable, but not stronger than on similar trips. The engines were started, and when the no. 1 engine reached idle rpm, the crew proceeded with after-start checks. When both alternators and the left generator were turned on, a violent explosion occurred in the cabin. The nose gear collapsed and the rear airstair was blown off. Both pilots managed to escape before a fierce fire consumed the aircraft.

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reasons. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all eight occupants escaped with minor injuries.

On Saturday 4th September '76 at approximately 12:00 hours, the pilot while preparing Otter MIT for flight, called the local company radio operator to request weather information for his VFR flight to Timmins. The operator transmitted the 11:23 terminal forecast for Timmins, the 10:00 observation for Moosonee and the 11:18 special observation for Timmins. The terminal reports for Moosonee and Timmins were much better than forecast and acceptable for VFR flight. At about 12:10 the radio operator at Moosonee received a special weather observation for Timmins which indicated deteriorating weather but did not pass this vital information to the pilot at that time. The Otter departed at 12:30 and shortly after take off the pilot advised the company operator at Moosonee that his estimated time of arrival at the South Porcupine seaplane base was 14:30. A few minutes later the radio operator attempted several times to contact the aircraft, to pass the new weather information,but without success. No other radio transmission was heard from the Otter. Because the flight was operating under VFR rules and because some of his passengers had limited time to make airline connections at Timmins, the pilot elected for the direct route, a distance of 165 nautical miles between the Moosonee and Timmins NDBs. To follow this route, the pilot would have used his ADF radio equipment and / or map reading techniques. Considering the cloud ceilings were at about one thousand feet and some terrain in the area rises to 950 feet, the deteriorating conditions would have induced the pilot to divert from the planned track. Since the accident site was 28 miles west of the direct track, it is probable that he diverted westward toward lower terrain to go around poor weather. Arriving at the Abitibi River, he followed the river southward to the accident site near the Abitibi Canyon Dam. The valley narrows and the terrain rises at this site of the power dam. It is believed that the pilot found the visibility decreasing rapidly in dense upslope fog in this vicinity. At 13:37 hours the aircraft struck the high tension electrical cables near the generating station and crashed to the ground. After impact a fire developed and consumed the aircraft, which had 11,573 hours on the airframe at the time. From the geometry of the wirestrike, it is probably that the pilot saw the wires and commenced a climbing turn to try and get over them, but had insufficient time to avoid the collision. The airplane has been chartered for the Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning for Ontario.
Source: http://www.dhc-3archive.com & Karl E. Hayes.

Shortly after takeoff from Kuujjuarapik Airport, a propeller oversped and the crew was unable to feather it. The captain decided to return for an emergency landing but on descent, a unsafe gear indication forced him to 'delay' the landing and to overshoot. Due to insufficient speed, the airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located near Kuujjuarapik. All 16 occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.

Upon takeoff runway 36, AAC lifted off with 18 souls on board transporting 14 Indigenous children home for the Summer holidays accompanied by a chaperone. The crew consisted of a pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer. The runway 18/36 was 10,000 ft long and 150 ft wide. As the aircraft lifted off and came abeam of the control tower, I observed a fire in the left engine. My transmission to the pilot was, quote “AAC Val d’Or Tower, fireball left engine”. Response was “Roger Tower”. Engine fire was immediately extinguished and shut down and aircraft continued to climb. Pilot was cleared for unrestricted landing and given winds. No further transmissions heard from pilot. Emergency crash bells were rung at this instance and emergency response stations were of an airborne emergency. I anticipated the aircraft would continue to climb, turn right into live engine and effect a landing on Rwy 18. However, the aircraft started to descend, commenced a left turn into the shutdown engine and was disappeared behind the hill just North West of the button of Rwy 18. Once I lost sight of the aircraft behind the hill, known to Station personnel as “Lang’s Hill”, the crash bells were again sounded indicating a Major Disaster which now required all Station personnel to respond. The Major Disaster alarm was sounded at exactly 4:01 p.m. on a Friday night. — Friday nights at CFS Val d’Or was a traditional beer call time when most of the 350 personnel of the Station were present at the various Messes which commenced at 1600 hrs. All 18 souls on aircraft AAC were rescued within 15 minutes of impact. Both the pilots were found still strapped to their seats upside down outside near their respective wings. The flight engineer was also still strapped to his seat and was found upside down in the nose of the aircraft which was split open and jagged. The aircraft had been guided into very high trees and had basically slid down the trees and came to approximately a 45-degree angle. The most serious injury, as I understand, was an injured vertebra sustained to one of the pilots which resulted in no permanent damage. All others sustained minor cuts and bruises. I was later told that this was precisely the manoeuvre the pilot said he would make if such an incident was encountered; it obviously worked. The efficiency of the Station Major Disaster Team in quickly locating and extracting the crew and passengers of AAC was amazing. All souls were housed in a Station Barrick Block, attended to medically and shortly after transferred to the St-Sauveur Hospital in Val d’Or for further care.
Thanks to Lou Travis, ATC on duty at the time of the accident, for his testimony.

While approaching Timmins Airport, the crew realized that weather conditions were marginal and decided to return to Winisk. This was not possible as the weather worsened at Winisk as well so the crew returned to Timmins and initiated a second approach despite the visibility was below minima. On final, the aircraft was too low and crashed three km short of runway threshold. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while four others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

After takeoff from a lake located in Winisk, the single engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. As the shore was approaching, the pilot elected to turn when the airplane struck the ground and came to rest upside down. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.