What happened
On the afternoon of 18 May 2004, a de Havsebille DHC-2 Beaver, registration C-GQHT, departed a water base operated by Pickerel Arm Camps for a flight to Fawcett Lake, Ontario. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and three passengers, all of whom were guests of the company. The flight was part of a two-aircraft operation intended to transport supplies and guests to a remote fishing lodge.
During the approach to the lake, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control. The aircraft struck the water with a steep nose-down and right-wing-down attitude, causing it to overturn and submerge. The impact was so severe that the pilot's seat and a section of the cockpit floor were detached, and the right wing was torn from the fuselage. There was no fire at the scene.
Search and rescue operations were initiated after the second aircraft in the group arrived at the lodge and found the first group missing. Although a search was conducted by air and by water, the Ontario Provincial Police divers later recovered the bodies of the pilot and the three passengers. All four occupants sustained fatal injuries upon impact.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's flight records to reconstruct the sequence of events. The investigation focused on the aircraft's configuration, the pilot's experience, and the mechanical condition of the plane.
Technical analysis of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft was in a full-flap configuration at the time of impact. The elevator trim was set to a full nose-down position, which was consistent with the aircraft's center of gravity being near the aft limit. While post-occurrence calculations suggested the aircraft was likely within weight and center of gravity limits, the pilot had failed to record the specific fuel, cargo, or passenger weights in the operational flight plan.
Engine examination showed that the engine-driven fuel pump shaft had failed in torsion. Additionally, while the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was functional, the external airframe antenna had been broken off, which likely prevented a clear signal from being transmitted during the accident.
Findings
- The pilot utilized a high-drag approach configuration (full flaps) for which he lacked established proficiency.
- The pilot most likely allowed the airspeed to decrease to a critical level, resulting in an aerodynamic stall on approach at an altitude that precluded recovery.
- The impact was non-survivable due to the extreme forces involved.
- The cargo in the aft compartment had not been secured, allowing it to shift during the impact.
- The aircraft's weight and center of gravity were not officially documented in the flight records, leaving only estimated values for the flight's loading.