Lethbridge | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Lethbridge to Vernon, while cruising at an altitude of 12,000 feet, the pilot declared an emergency to ATC after a fire erupted in the rear of the cabin. The crew reduced his altitude and decided to divert to Pincher Creek Airport but fire and smoke spread in the cabin. In such conditions, the crew attempted an emergency landing in an open field located 8 km east of Brocket. The airplane landed and came to rest in flames. While all 28 occupants were able to evacuate uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

An unknown fire erupted in the passenger cabin, near the washroom.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08A LodeStar near Vancouver: 15 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1947 at 2313 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

CF-TDF

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lethbridge – Vancouver

MSN:

18-2248

YOM:

1942

Flight number:

TCA328

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Circumstances:

While approaching Vancouver from the North, the crew did not realized that his altitude was insufficient due to the low visibility caused by night. The twin engine aircraft hit the east slope of a mountain located near Mt Elsay, some 16 km north of Vancouver. SAR operations were conducted in a large area but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Walkers found the wreckage of the aircraft in a remote area on September 27, 1994.

Crash of a Cessna T-50 Crane near Claresholm: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1943 at 2010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna T-50 Bobcat (AT-8/AT-17/UC-78 & Crane)

Operator:

Registration:

8739

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lethbridge - Claresholm

MSN:

2289

YOM:

1942

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Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed Lethbridge on a cross country flight to Claresholm. Approaching the airfield, it crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located 13 km southeast of the airport. The pilot was injured and the passenger was killed.
Crew:
P/O P. D. Meyers, pilot.
Passenger:
S/O Rose Jette Goodman.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke near Lethbridge: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1942 at 1145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke

Operator:

Registration:

9898

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lethbridge - Lethbridge

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Lethbridge Airfield on a routine airground gunnery exercise. It caught fire in the air, descended in a shallow dive at high speed, well over 200 mph, until it struck the ground in an upright and flat position, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Neil John Dalgleish, pilot,
P/O George Henry Brazier, flight engineer,
Lac Eugene Bohush, wireless operator and air gunner,
Lac Stanley Leonard Palmer, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

The cause of the in-flight fire could not be determined.

Final Report: