Patricia Bay | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The seaplane departed Patricia Bay on a reconnaissance patrol mission. The pilot apparently endeavored to effect a landing on exceeding water off Nanoose Bay. The left wing tip apparently dropped and came in contact with a large wave causing the aircraft to slew violently to the left and force the nose into the water crashing the forward part of the hull and breaking all cockpit windows. The aircraft then sank nose first in approximately four minutes. Wing tip and tailplane only visible during this period of time. All eight crew members were killed and the body of the pilot was found four days later.
Crew:
F/Lt Donald Clark MacDougall, pilot,
Sgt Gordon Herbert Andrews, pilot,
Sgt Russell Tremaine Mitchell, navigator,
AC1 Robert William Adams, observer,
LAC William Dennis Riley, observer,
AC1 Robert Albert Blakely, wireless operator,
Sgt John Cunningham Gunn, wireless operator,
P/O Richard Wood, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Heavy landing in extremely rough water during a gale. The pilot endeavored to land on water which was much too rough to land any aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Canadian Vickers Stranrear on Mt Baldwin: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1941 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers Stranraer

Operator:

Registration:

946

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dartmouth – Penticton – Patricia Bay

MSN:

CV-225

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to Patricia Bay, British Columbia, with an intermediate stop in Penticton. The seaplane departed Penticton seaplane base at 1026LT. Few minutes after his departure, the radio operator informed ground about his ETA in Patricia Bay at 1300LT. At 1400LT, the crew changed his frequency and informed ground about his position north of Vancouver, flying in very bad weather conditions with snow falls. As the airplane failed to arrive in Patricia Bay, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Six years later, walkers found the wreckage on Mt Baldwin (1,427 metres high) located 10 km southeast of Squamish. It appears that the aircraft hit the mountain 10 metres below the summit. All five crewmen were killed.
Crew (5th Squadron):
P/O Gerald Searing Palmer, pilot,
Sgt Jack Fenton Bliss,
Cpl John Robert Bruce Fernie,
LAC Gilbert Fowler Willette,
LAC Charles Murray Ross.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot got lost while cruising on instruments and in heavy static.

Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Yale: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1941 at 1720 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N9818

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

McLeod – Patricia Bay

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Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed McLeod on a ferry flight to Patricia Bay (Victoria) on behalf of the Western Air Command. While cruising northwest of Yale, BC, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain and was destroyed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (32th OTU):
P/O L. W. Brooks, pilot,
Sgt L.P. Bretland,
D. B. Hartley.

Final Report: