What happened
On a morning in British Columbia, a privately owned Cessna 305A float plane, registered C-GYHF, departed Ganges Harbour on Saltspring Island to pick up a passenger from Thetis Island. The flight was intended for aerial photography of boats and fleet activities related to a local regatta. During the mission, the pilot operated the aircraft at a low altitude, approximately 3-50 feet above the water, using a high power setting with flaps extended between 15 and 20 degrees.
As the aircraft approached Thetis Island, the engine noise increased and the plane entered a steep climb. Following this, the aircraft banked sharply to the left and the nose dropped into a sudden, steep descent. The aircraft struck the water in a left-wing-down, nose-low attitude. The pilot sustained fatal injuries upon impact, while the passenger managed to escape through an open rear window and was rescued by nearby boaters.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and confirmed that the engine was producing power at the moment of impact. There was no evidence of structural failure or control malfunctions; the ailerons, elevator, rudder, and trim systems were all found to be functional. The aircraft was within its weight and balance limits for the flight.
However, the investigation revealed significant discrepancies in the aircraft's instrumentation. The airspeed indicator markings were incorrectly placed, showing much higher stall and maximum speeds than the Type Certificate allowed. Additionally, the stall warning system's visual component—a light—was mounted under the instrument panel, placing it outside the pilot's normal line of sight. Furthermore, the high ambient noise levels caused by the engine and open windows likely masked the aural warning.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a power-on aerodynamic stall at an altitude that left no margin for recovery.
- The visual stall warning was ineffective because the light was positioned below the dashboard.
- The aural stall warning was significantly obscured by high cockpit noise levels during high-power, low-altitude maneuvering.
- Incorrect airspeed markings prevented the pilot from accurately identifying safe operating speeds or recognizing an impending stall.