Isachsen (Ellef Ringnes Island) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The ski-equipped C-47 attempted to depart from a 4200 feet long airstrip which was covered with five inches of snow. The crew had checked out the location to see if a C-54 could land there for resupply operations. During the night frost had accumulated on the aircraft. The windshield was cleared, but the wings and stabilizer were not. At a weight of 28850 pounds, 850 pounds over the allowable gross weight, the pilot tried to take off. After becoming airborne the right wing dipped. The pilot recovered, but the main gear then touched the ground. The wheels and skis then hit a river bank. The C-47 bounced and came down on the right wing, sliding to a stop in a tail high position. The wreckage was still on the same location by 2005.
More details about this crash on
www.oldwings.nl/content/c47_yic/c47.htm

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet in Isachsen

Date & Time: May 20, 1949 at 1345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-82 Packet

Operator:

Registration:

48-0572

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

10207

YOM:

1948

Location:

Isachsen (Ellef Ringnes Island)

Northwest Territories

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

489

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, the aircraft started to veer to the left, and although the report does not give a clear reason for this, it may have had something to do with the thick cover of about 10-15 cm of soft snow. This may have been slightly thicker on the left (downwind) side of the airstrip, causing more drag for the left main gear. The pilots fought hard to keep the aircraft on the narrow airstrip, but failed. The left main gear hit the base of a snow bank next to the airstrip, and a moment later the left propeller dug deep into that same snow bank. Because it was running very high power at that time (in an attempt to steer the aircraft to the right), the impact tore the entire #1 engine off the wing. Losing so much power on the left side so suddenly, with the right engine still running at reduced take-off power, caused the aircraft to make a violent left turn, completely destroying the left wing and tail boom. It then continued along the strip for another 150 meters and came to a stop, again to quote the report: "completely wrecked but in an upright position". There were no injuries.
Photo courtesy by www.oldwings.nl/content/c82_yic/c82a.htm