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Crash of a Beechcraft 350 Super King Air in Thunder Bay

Date & Time: Jan 31, 2022 at 1222 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-GEAS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Trenton - Thunder Bay
MSN:
FL-17
YOM:
1990
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from RCAF Trenton on behalf of the RCAF, the twin engine aircraft apparently landed hard at Thunder Bay Airport. After touchdown on runway 25, it went out of control and veered off runway into a snow covered area. All three crew members evacuated safely while the aircraft suffered severe damages to wings and tail. The fuselage also broke in two.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 690B in Thunder Bay: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 2021 at 2109 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-GYLD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thunder Bay – Dryden
MSN:
690-11426
YOM:
1977
Flight number:
BD160
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
2662
Captain / Total hours on type:
230.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7620
Circumstances:
The airplane, operated by MAG Aerospace Canada Corp. as flight BD160, was conducting a visual flight rules flight from Thunder Bay Airport, Ontario, to Dryden Regional Airport, Ontario, with only the pilot on board. At 2109 Eastern Daylight Time, the aircraft began a takeoff on Runway 12. Shortly after rotation, the aircraft entered a left bank, continued to roll, and then struck the surface of Runway 07 in an inverted attitude. The pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and postimpact fire. The emergency locator transmitter activated on impact.
Probable cause:
Findings as to causes and contributing factors:
1. After takeoff from Runway 12 at Thunder Bay Airport, Ontario, as the pilot conducted a rapid, low-level, climbing steep turn, the aircraft entered an accelerated stall that resulted in a loss of control and subsequent collision with the surface of Runway 07 in an inverted attitude.
2. The decision to conduct the rapid, low-level, climbing steep turn was likely influenced by an altered perception of risk from previous similar takeoffs that did not result in any adverse consequences.

Findings as to risk:
1. If air traffic controllers engage in communications that may be perceived by pilots to encourage unusual flight manoeuvres, pilots may perceive this encouragement as a confirmation that the manoeuvres are acceptable to perform, increasing the risk of an accident.
2. If NAV CANADA’s reporting procedures do not contain specific criteria for situations where air traffic services personnel perceive aircraft to be conducting unsafe flight manoeuvres, there is a risk that these manoeuvres will continue and result in an accident.

Other findings
1. Most of the wires that comprised the elevator trim cable failed before the impact as a result of excessive wear; however, this did not contribute to the occurrence because the trim tab remained in the normal take-off position.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster in Winnipeg: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 2005 at 0543 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FEXS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Winnipeg – Thunder Bay
MSN:
208B-0542
YOM:
1996
Flight number:
FDX8060
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4570
Captain / Total hours on type:
1500.00
Aircraft flight hours:
6724
Circumstances:
On the day before the occurrence, the accident aircraft arrived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on a flight from Thunder Bay, Ontario. The aircraft was parked in a heated hangar overnight and was pulled outside at about 0410 central daylight time. The pilot reviewed the weather information and completed planning for the flight, which was estimated to take two hours and six minutes. The aircraft was refuelled and taxied to Apron V at the Winnipeg International Airport, where it was loaded with cargo. After loading was complete, the pilot obtained an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance for the flight to Thunder Bay, taxied to Runway 36, received take-off clearance, and departed. The aircraft climbed on runway heading for about one minute to an altitude of 1300 feet above sea level (asl), 500 feet above ground level (agl). The flight was cleared to 9000 feet asl direct to Thunder Bay, and the pilot turned on course. The aircraft continued to climb, reaching a maximum altitude of 2400 feet asl about 2.5 minutes after take-off. The aircraft then started a gradual descent averaging about 400 feet per minute (fpm) until it descended below radar coverage. The accident occurred during hours of darkness at 0543. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service were notified and responded from a nearby station.
Probable cause:
Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. The aircraft departed at a weight exceeding the maximum take-off weight and the maximum weight for operation in icing conditions.
2. After departure from Winnipeg, the aircraft encountered in-flight icing conditions in which the aircraftís performance deteriorated until the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude.
3. During the attempt to return to the Winnipeg International Airport, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, likely with little or no warning, at an altitude from which recovery was not possible.
Findings as to Risk:
1. Aviation weather forecasts incorporate generic icing forecasts that may not accurately predict the effects of icing conditions on particular aircraft. As a result, specific aircraft types may experience more significant detrimental effects from icing than forecasts indicate.
2. Bulk loading prevented determining the cargo weight in each zone, resulting in a risk that the individual zone weight limits could have been exceeded.
3. The aircraftís centre of gravity (CG) could not be accurately determined, and may have been in the extrapolated shaded warning area on the CG limit chart. Although it was determined that the CG was likely forward of the maximum allowable aft CG, bulk loading increased the risk that the CG could have exceeded the maximum allowable aft CG.
4. The incorrect tare weight on the Toronto cargo container presented a risk that other aircraft carrying cargo from that container could have been inadvertently overloaded.
Other Findings:
1. The pilotís weather information package was incomplete and had to be updated by a telephone briefing.
2. The operatorís pilots were not pressured to avoid using aircraft de-icing facilities or to depart with aircraft unserviceabilities.
3. The aircraft departed Winnipeg without significant contamination of its critical surfaces.
4. The biological material on board the aircraft was disposed of after the accident, with no indication that any of the material had been released into the ground or the atmosphere.
5. The fact that the aircraft was not equipped with flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder equipment limited the information available for the occurrence investigation and the scope of the investigation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft A100 King Air in Terrace Bay

Date & Time: Jan 1, 2004
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GFKS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Terrace Bay – Thunder Bay
MSN:
B-247
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On take off roll on runway 25 at dusk, left wing struck a snowbank on left side of the runway. Aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in snow with its nose gear sheared off and several damages to the fuselage. Both pilots were uninjured.
Probable cause:
A NOTAM stated that there were windrows four feet high, 10 feet inside the runway lights on both sides of the runway. This NOTAM also stated that the cleared portion of the runway was covered with ¼ inch of loose snow over 60 percent compacted snow and 40 percent ice patches and that braking action was fair to poor. The take-off was being conducted at dusk in conditions of poor lighting and contrast. Crosswind was not a factor.

Crash of a Beechcraft A100 King Air in Thunder Bay

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1999 at 1038 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GASW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thunder Bay – Red Lake
MSN:
B-108
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
THU103
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Thunder Airlines Limited Beech A100 King Air aircraft, serial number B108, took off at 1034 eastern daylight saving time (EDT) on a charter flight from Thunder Bay, Ontario, for Red Lake, Ontario, with two pilots and three passengers on board. After getting airborne, the aircraft pitched up to approximately 70 degrees, reaching a height estimated to be between 500 and 700 feet above ground level. It then rolled to the left, pitched steeply nose-down, and descended to the ground within the confines of the airport. The aircraft contacted the soft, level ground in a relatively level attitude and covered a distance of about 500 feet before coming to rest in a wooded area immediately beyond an elevated railroad bed and track. The cabin remained intact during the crash sequence, and all occupants escaped without any injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. An ensuing fuel-fed fire was rapidly extinguished by airport emergency response services (ERS)
personnel.
Probable cause:
The flight crew lost pitch control of the aircraft on take-off when the stabilizer trim actuators became disconnected because they had not been properly reinstalled by the AME during maintenance work conducted before the flight. The crew chief responsible for the inspection did not ensure correct assembly of the stabilizer trim actuators, which contributed to the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter near Cochenour

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1996 at 1914 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-FMEL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cochenour - Thunder Bay
MSN:
222
YOM:
1957
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The float-equipped DHC-3 (Otter), carrying the pilot and six passengers, departed the company's water base at Cochenour, Ontario, on a charter flight to Sandy Beach Lodge, located on Trout Lake approximately 25 miles to the east. The pilot levelled the aircraft and configured it for cruise flight at approximately 2,500 feet above sea level (asl). Shortly after level-off, the pilot heard a popping sound and noted a slight loss of engine power, and wisps of whitish-grey smoke entered the cabin. The aircraft instruments indicated normal engine operation, and the fire warning system did not activate. The pilot suspected that the engine had suffered a cylinder failure and turned to return to Cochenour. A passenger seated in the right front crew seat reported flames near the floor at the front, right corner of the cockpit. The pilot radioed the Thunder Bay Flight Service Station to advise of the emergency, had the passenger vacate the crew seat, and attempted to suppress the fire with a hand-held extinguisher. Thick, black smoke billowed into the cabin, restricting visibility and causing respiratory distress for all of the occupants. The pilot opened the left crew door in order to see ahead and landed the aircraft, still on fire, on McNeely Bay, the first available landing site. The aircraft landed hard but remained upright on the floats. The occupants left by the main door, with their life jackets, and were picked up almost immediately by nearby boats. The aircraft was consumed by fire within minutes after landing. The pilot suffered second degree burns to his face and right forearm, and the passenger in the right crew seat suffered burns to his right leg. The remaining five passengers escaped serious injury.
Probable cause:
Continued operation of the engine following an exhaust valve failure on the n°2 cylinder resulted in a flaming gas path near the right side of the firewall, an exhaust system overheat, and a subsequent cabin fire.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso in Thunder Bay

Date & Time: May 14, 1984
Registration:
C-GFFD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thunder Bay - Thunder Bay
MSN:
CV-441
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
Tanker 5
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Thunder Bay, while climbing, the right engine failed while the left engine lost power. The aircraft descended, struck obstacles and eventually crashed in a prairie. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines during initial climb because the fuel was contaminated by water.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Fort Severn: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1975 at 2000 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CF-AII
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thunder Bay - Fort Severn
MSN:
19353
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a cargo flight from Thunder Bay to Fort Severn, carrying building supplies. On approach, the crew encountered heavy fog when on final, the airplane struck the bank of the Severn River. It bounced into the air, took off the roof of an Anglican church and crashed 267 feet away in a graveyard, about 3 km from runway 15 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the visibility was extremely limited due to fog and the crew descended too low until the airplane impacted ground.

Crash of a Grumman G-44 Widgeon in Fort William

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1966 at 1211 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1173V
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1345
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
800.00
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Fort William-Lakehead Airport, Ontario. Both passengers were injured while the pilote was unhurt.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the crew.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker Super Universal off Thunder Bay

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-AFS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
CV-135
YOM:
1929
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing in the harbor of Thunder Bay (Port Arthur), the airplane collided with the motor launch named 'Gladys' and sank. There were no casualties.