What happened
On December 24, 2004, a Beech King Air A10/100, registration C-GAIK, was performing a scheduled flight from Puvirnituq to Kuujjuaq, Quebec. The aircraft was carrying two crew members, four passengers, and cargo. During the approach to Runway 07, the crew encountered significantly deteriorated weather conditions, including heavy blowing snow and winds gusting up to 45 knots.
As the aircraft touched down at 1943 eastern standard time, it began to skid to the right. Despite the pilot attempting to use reverse thrust, the engines did not respond quickly enough to maintain directional control. The aircraft departed the runway surface, coming to rest 1600 feet from the threshold and 40 feet to the right of the runway. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage, there were no injuries to the crew or passengers.
The investigation
The investigation examined the weather reports, runway surface conditions, and the crew's decision-making process. At the time of the landing, the Canadian runway friction index (CRFI) was reported at 0.31, indicating a slippery surface due to frost and compacted snow. The investigation also reviewed the company's standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the crew's flight planning.
Investigators noted that while the aircraft's maximum demonstrated crosswind speed is 25 knots, the actual crosswind component during the landing was between 28 and 44 knots. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the communication between the captain and the first officer regarding the intended landing runway and the use of crosswind charts during the approach phase.