What happened
On a flight from Kelowna, British Columbia, to Rocky Mountain, Alberta, a Bell 206L4 helicopter, registration C-FVEF, crashed near Three Valley Lake. The aircraft, operated by Northern Air Support Limited, was being ferried to its destination with a single pilot on board. The flight was intended to include a refueling stop in Golden, but the helicopter failed to arrive at its scheduled destination that evening.
Following an alert from company personnel, a search was initiated by the Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria. Although low clouds and poor visibility hindered the search, the wreckage was discovered three days later at an elevation of 3/700 feet. The impact occurred at approximately 1749 hours. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the helicopter was destroyed upon impact. There was no post-crash fire.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the surrounding terrain to reconstruct the flight path. While the original flight plan involved following specific powerlines and a visual flight rules route through Silver Star Provincial Park, the actual path taken by the pilot deviated from the planned route, flying instead through the Mabel Lake valley.
Analysis of the damage to the trees and the ground indicated that the aircraft was in a steep, left-bank, and nose-down attitude when it struck the terrain. The investigation also looked into the failure of the emergency locator transmitter (ELT). Although the ELT activated upon impact, the antenna adapter was severed by the force of the crash, rendering the signal ineffective and delaying the discovery of the site.
Findings
- The pilot lost control of the helicopter for reasons that could not be determined.
- The aircraft was not at a sufficient altitude to recover control before striking trees and the ground.
- The engine showed no mechanical defects and was functioning normally during the flight.
- The mounting position of the ELT was highly vulnerable to impact, which caused the antenna to be severed.
- It remains uncertain whether the pilot encountered weather conditions that led to a loss of visual reference, as the pilot did not hold an instrument rating and the aircraft lacked an artificial horizon or stabilization system.
Safety action
Following the investigation, the TSB issued a Safety Advisory to Transport Canada, suggesting a review of the regulations and standards governing the mounting locations of ELTs to ensure they are not easily rendered inoperable by impact forces.