Crash of a De Havilland CSR-123 in the Duke of York Bay

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9413
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
389
YOM:
1960
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During take-off from a gravel bar along the edge of the Duke of York River, the Otter became airborne but did not gain altitude. Shortly thereafter, it contacted a steep gravel river bank, made a shallow turn to the right, settled into the river and slowly nosed over, coming to rest inverted in three or four feet of water. Water began to pour in on the two crew and five passengers, who were hanging upside down still strapped into their seats. They managed to free themselves and wade ashore.
Source: https://www.dhc-3archive.com/DHC-3_389.html
Probable cause:
The accident report found that the pilot elected to take off from an “uncleared, austere airstrip” of unknown exact useable length, in unfavourable wind conditions, at or near maximum allowable gross weight. The aircraft captain had failed to brief his co-pilot and assign him the task of monitoring the cockpit instruments during the critical phase of the take-off. The air detachment commander was required to fly as a line pilot on a regular basis. This, together with being subordinate in rank to the Otter detachment commander, made effective control of flying operations virtually impossible.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188PF Electra in Rea Point: 32 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1974 at 0020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-PAB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calgary – Edmonton – Rea Point
MSN:
1141
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
PAO416
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Captain / Total flying hours:
8143
Captain / Total hours on type:
1792.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5100
Copilot / Total hours on type:
160
Aircraft flight hours:
19133
Circumstances:
Lockheed L-188 Aircraft CF-PAB operated as Panarctic flight 416 and departed Calgary International Airport at 18:05 hours 29 October 1974. The aircraft was on a routine positioning flight to Edmonton with a pilot-in-command, co-pilot and flight engineer on board. The 30-minute flight was uneventful with no unserviceabilities reported by the crew. The aircraft was prepared for the continuing flight north with the loading of 20000 lb of baggage and freight and 21000 lb of jet B fuel. The aircraft pilot-in-command and flight engineer were replaced by those scheduled for the Edmonton to Rea Point leg. The pilot-in-command received a weather briefing; an IFR flight plan was filed at an initial cruising altitude of 18000 ft with Pedder Point as the alternate. The estimated time en-route was 4 hours 12 minutes. After loading 30 passengers and a fourth crew man, the loadmaster/flight attendant, the aircraft departed the Edmonton International Airport at 20:04 hours. The flight proceeded uneventfully, cruising at 18 000ft to Fort Smith where it was cleared to flight level 210. The aircraft reported over Byron Bay at 23:04 hours with an estimated time of arrival at Rea Point of 00:16. About 100 miles north of Byron Bay the aircraft was cleared to flight level 250. Radio contact was established with Rea Point about 150 miles out and a descent was started for a straight-in VOR/DME approach to runway 33. The descent was smooth except for some turbulence at 4000 ft. The aircraft levelled at 17 miles DME from Rea Point at 2000 ft for a period of 1 minute 45 seconds. The aircraft then slowly descended to about 875 ft ASL at 6 miles DME. A call was made to Rea Point advising them of the DME range on final. There was light turbulence. Fifteen hundred horsepower was selected on the engines; both the VHF navigation radios were selected to the Rea Point VOR frequency and both ADF's were selected to the Rea Point OX nondirectional beacon. Both cockpit barometric altimeters were set to 29.91 in of mercury, the latest Rea Point setting. The airspeed was indicating 150 kt which, with a 30 kt headwind component, resulted in a ground speed of 120 kt. The pre-landing check had been completed, 100 per cent flap selected and the landing gear was down. The landing lights were extended but were off, the wing leading edge lights as well as the alternate taxi lights were on. Glare had been experienced from external lights early in the descent from 10000 ft, but not thereafter. There was no pre-landing briefing conducted by the pilot-in-command. The flight engineer was able to see what appeared to be open water below with ice. The co-pilot set his radio altimeter warning to 450 ft and the pilot-in-command set his to 300 ft. When the warning light came on the co-pilot's radio altimeter, he advised the pilot-in-command. As the descent continued through the minimum descent altitude of 450 ft, the co-pilot reset his radio altimeter to 300 ft and so advised the pilot-in-command. The aircraft was still in a shallow descent. At 300 ft radio altitude the co-pilot checked the DME reading as 3 miles, saw a dark area of open water and an ice line and reported to the pilot-in-command that they seemed to be approaching an ice ridge and that they had visual contact. The pilot-in-command reset his radio altimeter to about 150 ft. Also, close to this time the pilot-in-command said he believed they were on top of a layer of cloud, repeated the statement, following which he retarded the throttles and pushed forward on the control column with sufficient force to produce perceptible negative G. The rate of descent increased rapidly to between 1700 and 2000 ft a minute. The co-pilot shouted at the pilot-in-command reporting their descent through 200 ft at 2 miles DME but there was no response. The flight engineer and the co-pilot both called through 50 ft without an observed reaction from the pilot-in-command. The co-pilot reached for the right side power levers and found the flight engineer's hands already on them. On impact, the cockpit area broke away from the remainder of the fuselage and with the cargo continued along the ice surface for 900 ft. After the cockpit came to rest, the flight engineer undid his seat belt and saw both the pilot-in-command and co-pilot in their seats. The co-pilot although injured was able to undo his seat belt and the flight engineer pulled him on to the ice before the cockpit section sank completely.
Probable cause:
The following findings were reported:
- The approach was continued below the company approved minimum descent altitude,
- The pilot-in-command reacted inappropriately to a visual cue and suddenly initiated the final rapid descent,
- Partial incapacitation of the pilot-in-command was a factor in the failure to recover from the high rate of descent,
- Crew coordination in the cockpit in the final stages of the flight was inadequate,
- No company Flight Operations Manual or similar document was available to adequately prescribe the aircraft crew's duties and responsibilities,
- This operation was in the private category and was not operated or required to operate to the established commercial standards,
- The established aerodrome emergency response procedures were inadequate.
Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 31E in Rankin Inlet: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-QWJ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thompson - Rankin Inlet
MSN:
13078
YOM:
1951
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Rankin Inlet, while completing a cargo flight from Thompson, the airplane went out of control and crashed. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final caused by an engine failure.

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 40A near Frobisher Bay: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1974 at 2215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-BRL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Stuttgart - Shannon - Keflavik - Frobisher Bay - Toronto
MSN:
282-107
YOM:
1972
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Stuttgart, Germany, to Toronto, with intermediate stops in Shannon, Keflavik and Frobisher Bay. While descending to Frobisher Bay, the crew informed ATC about his position about 50 km southeast of the destination airport with a fuel reserve for about 15 minutes of flight. Shortly later, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 106 km southeast of Frobisher Bay, near Newton Fiord. The wreckage was found few hours later and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the radio beacon located near Frobisher Bay Airport failed shortly after the crew was cleared to start the approach. This caused the aircraft to deviate from the approach track and to descent to an insufficient altitude, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain. Lack of visibility due to the night was a contributing factor.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 near Eureka

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1973
Operator:
Registration:
CF-WWP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12
YOM:
1966
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 70 km east of Eureka, NWT. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Frobisher Bay

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1973
Operator:
Registration:
CF-OOV
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Frobisher Bay – Resolute Bay
MSN:
13300
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Frobisher Bay Airport, while climbing, one of the engine lost power. The crew elected to return when the airplane stalled and crashed by the airport. All three occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The aircraft was returning from a major overhaul in Toronto few days ago.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power for unknown reason.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Beniah Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-IFG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
805
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After the aircraft crossed the lake at low altitude, the pilot initiated a steep turn to the left to avoid 200 feet hill. Doing so, the left wing tip struck spruce trees and then the ground, causing the aircraft to cartwheel and to crash in flames. Three passengers were injured while a fourth passenger and the pilot were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Ram Plateau

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-XUX
Flight Phase:
Site:
MSN:
72
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising in bad weather conditions, the single engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in Ram Plateau, in the region of Fort Smith. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Frobisher Bay: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1971 at 0055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N929V
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Chimo - Frobisher Bay
MSN:
LD-325
YOM:
1967
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
13000
Circumstances:
While approaching Frobisher Bay Airport by night, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the airfield. All three occupants were killed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S into the Hudson Bay: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-GXT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
A-740
YOM:
1952
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the Hudson Bay. Few debris and dead bodies were found a month later. The exact cause of the mishap remains unclear.