What happened
During a scheduled training session at Winnipeg International Airport, a Beech 95 Travel Air, registration C-FCNU, entered an uncontrolled descent while performing single-engine approach exercises. The flight, which involved an instructor and a student pilot, was conducting touch-and-go landings under visual flight rules.
At approximately 09:52, while on final approach to Runway 18, the aircraft was trailing an Airbus A320. Although the tower controller issued a wake turbulence warning, the aircraft's speed rapidly dropped from 130 mph to 100 mph. The aircraft then pitched up and rolled sharply, entering a steep dive. The aircraft struck an embankment near Jefferson Avenue, 2.4 nautical miles short of the runway, and a post-crash fire destroyed the wreckage. The two fatalities were confirmed as the pilots, who died from deceleration injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage, radar data, and maintenance records. The aircraft was found to be properly maintained and within weight limits. While the aircraft lacked flight data or cockpit voice recorders, radar analysis showed a significant deceleration immediately before the loss of contact.
On-site inspections revealed the rudder trim was set to the right, and the left engine's mixture and magneto switches were in the off position, suggesting a simulated engine failure was in progress. However, propeller damage indicated both engines were actually producing high power at the moment of impact. Investigators also noted that the aircraft's approach profile was lower than that of the preceding heavy aircraft, placing it directly in the path of potential wingtip vortices.
Findings
- The pilots experienced a loss of control at an altitude too low to allow for recovery.
- The loss of control was likely caused by the encountering of wake turbulence from a preceding Airbus A320 while the aircraft was flying at a low airspeed.
- The high workload associated with engine-failure training likely prevented the crew from adequately reacting to the turbulence warning or adjusting their approach path.
- The aircraft was in a low-energy, asymmetric flight configuration due to the simulated engine failure, which made the aircraft highly vulnerable to the vortex-induced roll.