Date & Time:
Oct 30, 1981 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 414 Chancellor
Operator:
High Wood Air Services
Registration:
C-GTBW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Barkerville – Calgary
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Barkerville-Wells Airport on a charter flight to Calgary, carrying four passengers and two pilots. They were returning to Calgary after they just finished an inspection of the Mosquito Creek Gold Mine in Wells. During the takeoff roll from the snow covered runway 29, the airplane failed to get airborne, overran and crashed in a gravel pit. Both pilots and two passengers were killed and two other passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was destroyed.
Crew:
Glen Johnson, pilot, †
Leo Wolfe, copilot. †
Passengers:
Andrew Jukes, †
John Lund, †
Roger Tourigny,
Richard Arndt.
Crew:
Glen Johnson, pilot, †
Leo Wolfe, copilot. †
Passengers:
Andrew Jukes, †
John Lund, †
Roger Tourigny,
Richard Arndt.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- The airplane was overloaded by approximately 600 pounds, and the CoG was located too far aft.
- Visible ground marks gave no indication of braking.
- The aircraft had recently been repainted and markings indicating the emergency exists had not been replaced. The effect of the paint job was to slow down the rescue team's effort to reach passengers and crew, hindering the rescue attempt considerably.
- The 2,700-foot runway was upsloped 2,1% and covered with between one and three inches of snow when the crew attempted to take off.
- The airplane was overloaded by approximately 600 pounds, and the CoG was located too far aft.
- Visible ground marks gave no indication of braking.
- The aircraft had recently been repainted and markings indicating the emergency exists had not been replaced. The effect of the paint job was to slow down the rescue team's effort to reach passengers and crew, hindering the rescue attempt considerably.
- The 2,700-foot runway was upsloped 2,1% and covered with between one and three inches of snow when the crew attempted to take off.
