Conair Aviation | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the region of Quesnel. While cruising at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the pilot realized that the oil pressure on the left engine dropped while oil was leaking. He decided to shut down the left engine but mistakenly activated the fire extinguishing system on the right engine, causing the right engine to stop as well. In such conditions, he reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft in the Fraser River near Quesnel. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was slightly injured.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 near La Grand-Combe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1989 at 1721 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

C-GSFS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aubenas - Aubenas

MSN:

10473

YOM:

1972

Flight number:

Pélican 27

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

8053

Aircraft flight cycles:

8886

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft, departed Aubenas-Vals-Lanas Airport on a firefighting mission on behalf of the French Sécurité Civile. While approaching the zone under fire at low height, the aircraft struck the ground and exploded. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of loss of control in a presentation turn at a very low height. This loss of control was the result of an overly brutal maneuver by the crew because the airplane's position at the start of the presentation was wrong.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Excessive workload for the captain,
- Different languages used between both flight crew members,
- Operational practices at the Sécutivé Civile that left too much improvisation over the drop zone,
_ Lack of visibility on short final.

Crash of a Grumman S-2 Tracker in McBride: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1986

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

C-GHQY

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

035

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

Tanker 62

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a fire fighting mission. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Grumman CS2F-1 Tracker in Castlegar: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

C-GHQZ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Castlegar - Castlegar

MSN:

036

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

Tanker 63

Location:

Castlegar-West Kootenay

British Columbia

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a demo flight at Castlegar Airport when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

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

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Registration:

C-GHLM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

18820

YOM:

1943

Flight number:

Tanker 24

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Registration:

CF-DFC

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

7111

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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.