Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond IA in Jasper

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1995 at 0920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GLIG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Williams Lake - Jasper
MSN:
76
YOM:
1984
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Captain / Total hours on type:
360.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
13500
Copilot / Total hours on type:
350
Aircraft flight hours:
3290
Circumstances:
The Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond business jet was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Williams Lake, British Columbia, to Hinton, Alberta. There were two pilots and two passengers on board. Prior to issuing the descent clearance from flight level 270 (FL270), the Edmonton Area Control Centre (ACC) advised the crew of the Jasper townsite, Alberta, weather. The winds were reported as calm. The crew cancelled the IFR during the descent and continued for a visual approach and landing to runway 02 at the Jasper-Hinton Airport. During the approach, the crew encountered moderate turbulence on short final. The captain increased the reference airspeed (Vref) from 105 to 115 knots to allow for subsiding air and airspeed fluctuations. The crew noted that the wind sock for runway 02 was fully extended and was varying in direction frequently. They elected to continue the approach and landing on runway 02. Power was reduced to idle at 50 feet. The aircraft touched down at about 1,000 feet down the runway. During the landing roll, the captain first applied maximum braking and then, when he determined that the aircraft would not come to a stop in the remaining runway distance available, he initiated commanded swerving to assist in stopping the aircraft; the aircraft skidded to a position 255 feet off the end of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; however, the occupants were uninjured. The accident occurred at latitude 53°19'N, longitude 117°45'W, at an elevation of 4,016 feet above sea level (asl), at 0920 mountain standard time (MST), during the hours of daylight.
Probable cause:
The aircraft overran the runway because the crew landed with a 14- to 21-knot tailwind. Contributing to the occurrence were the crew's belief that the calm winds given to them by the Area Control Centre for Jasper townsite were for the Jasper-Hinton Airport, and their decision to continue with the straight-in approach procedure without overflying the airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Wainwright: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1993
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
130321
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wainwright - Wainwright
MSN:
4191
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
Trucker 21
Country:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was dispatched at Wainwright Airport to practice cargo drop and parachute deployment test. While passing over the runway at low height, the aircraft went out of control, struck the runway surface and crashed, bursting into flames. Five crew members were killed in the accident. The call sign is not confirmed.
Those killed were:
Cpt Michael G. Allen,
Cpt Vincent L. Schurman,
M/WO Joseph Sylvio Castonguay,
Sgt Alain Michaud,
M/Cpl Ronald J. McWilliam.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Villeneuve: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1993 at 0922 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GKPB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Villeneuve - Villeneuve
MSN:
274
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was engaged in a post maintenance test flight, carrying one engineer and two pilots. Shortly after takeoff from Villeneuve Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft started to pitch up and down then lost height and crashed. The passenger was seriously injured while both pilots were killed, among them Billy Bourque, owner of Loon Air.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an error on part of the ground personnel in charge of the maintenance as the controls to the left aileron had been mis-rigged.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near High Level: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1991 at 0700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FJPL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
811
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying in marginal weather conditions (low clouds), the single engine aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Watt, about 11 km northwest of High Level. The pilot was injured while the passenger was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo in Calgary

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1990 at 1640 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAE064
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Quito – Billings – Calgary
MSN:
64
YOM:
1976
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft suffered an incident in Ecuador few days prior to this accident and damages were reported to the undercarriage. A ferry flight to Calgary was arranged so the aircraft could be repaired by technicians by De Havilland Canada. The flight from Quito to Calgary was completed with the undercarriage down. Upon touchdown on runway 28 at Calgary Airport, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on its nose and came rest, bursting into flames. In a hurry, both pilots escaped the cabin and did not stop both engines. Hydraulic fluids ignited and the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire. Both pilots were uninjured. Dual registration FAE064 and HC-BFH.
Probable cause:
It was concluded that the self-centering mechanism could be forced off centre because of a system malfunction caused by the previous accident or by intentional nosewheel steering input, which would cause enough pressure to shear the pins. The internal damage to the controlcam mechanism allowed the wheels to be off centre at touchdown. Marks on the adjacent sides of the pulleys showed that the cable had been lodged in the space between the two pulleys. Although the extent of this damage was limited, it was representative of damage caused by the previous jungle accident and would have caused the sluggish response to nosewheel commands experienced earlier by the crew. When the weight of the aircraft settled on the misaligned nosewheel, the temporary ferry repairs failed in overload and the nosewheel collapsed.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Fort McMurray

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1986
Operator:
Registration:
C-GKRL
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
BB-878
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Fort McMurray Airport, the twin engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located 11 km southeast of the airfield. All four occupants were seriously injured.

Crash of a De Havilland CC-138 Twin Otter 300 near Calgary: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1986 at 1452 LT
Operator:
Registration:
13807
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
309
YOM:
1971
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a SAR mission after a small plane disappeared. While flying in relative good weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the Kananaskis Park, about 75 km west of Calgary. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed, three crew members and five observers.
Crew:
Cpt Ted Katz, pilot
Cpt Wayne Plumbtree, copilot,
Brian Burkett, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by a freak optical illusion. Color of rocks in mountain combined with sun angle at the time of the crash to make a large ledge, impossible to see.

Crash of a Lockheed CC-130H Hercules at Namao AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
130331
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Namao - Namao
MSN:
4559
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
Trucker 2
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The CC-130H registered 130331 was engaged in a local demonstration flight under callsign Trucker 2, taking part to the celebration of the RCAF 60th anniversary. While approaching the airbase, it collided with a second RCAF CC-130H registered 130330 (callsign Trucker 1). Both airplanes crashed and were destroyed. All 10 occupants in both aircraft were killed, four crew members in each aircraft plus two observers on board 130330.

Crash of a Lockheed CC-130H Hercules at Namao AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
130330
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Namao - Namao
MSN:
4555
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
Trucker 1
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The CC-130H registered 130330 was engaged in a local demonstration flight under callsign Trucker 1, taking part to the celebration of the RCAF 60th anniversary. While approaching the airbase, it collided with a second RCAF CC-130H registered 130331 (callsign Trucker 2). Both airplanes crashed and were destroyed. All 10 occupants in both aircraft were killed, four crew members in each aircraft plus two observers on board 130330.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain near High Prairie: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1984
Operator:
Registration:
C-GXUC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Edmonton - Peace River
MSN:
31-7405136
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
3Y402
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Edmonton to Peace River, while cruising by night, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions. Due to interferences, the crew was unable to receive the signal from the Whitecourt VOR and thought he already overflew the mountain range located southeast of High Prairie. Too low, the aircraft struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in a wooded area covered by snow and located on Mt Swan, southwest of Lesser Slave Lake. The wreckage was found the following day in an isolated area. A pilot and three passengers were injured while six other occupants were killed, among them the Canadian politician Walter Grant Notley aged 45.