Date & Time:
Jul 8, 1972 at 1020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I
Operator:
Western Construction & Lumber Company
Registration:
CF-XWI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Edmonton - Chetwynd
YOM:
1968
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
5
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total hours on type:
500
Aircraft flight hours:
930
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Edmonton Industrial Airport at 0730LT on an instrument flight plan do Dawson Creek, carrying engineers and employees from the Western Construction & Lumber Company en route to Chetwynd on a mining prospective program. The flight continued without incident to Dawson Creek, and after receiving descent clearance and becoming clear of cloud the pilot refiled a VFR flight plan to Chetwynd, BC. When the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination, an air ground search was initiated. Search aircraft picked up signals from a crash position indicator and located the accident scene on the south slope of Mt Wartenbe, approximately 10 miles east-southeast of its destination airstrip. The aircraft had struck trees at the 3,800 feet elevation, approximately 200 feet below the apex of the mountain ridge. The aircraft had been in a shallow descending turn to the right heading in an easterly direction at comparatively high airspeed at the time of impact. All six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot attempted to maintain visual flight in poor weather conditions in close proximity of hazardous terrain. It appeared that after the pilot cancelled IFR at Dawson Creek, he was planning to maintain visual flight to his new destination, and did not take into account the close proximity of Wartenbe mountain. The investigation was unable to determine the exact flight path or circumstances surrounding the flight just before the crash. Aeromedical studies indicated that the pilot had an acute awareness of mortal danger for 10-15 seconds before impact.
Final Report:
CF-XWI.pdf2.49 MB
