What happened
On the night of November 5, 2005, a Cessna 172M, registration C-GPUL, departed from the Saint-Frédéric aerodrome in Quebec for a night aerial surveillance mission. The flight, operated by Grondair, was chartered by the Quebec ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune to monitor for illegal hunting. On board were the pilot and two wildlife protection officers.
Shortly after takeoff, the crew encountered thick fog, which obscured ground references. Due to the deteriorating visibility, the team redeployed ground units to a different area. The aircraft was reported missing around 2300 hours. Three days later, investigators located the wreckage in a wooded area approximately 7 nm southwest of the Saint-Georges aerodrome. The aircraft had struck treetops and landed in an inverted position, subsequently catching fire. The three fatalities included all occupants of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's equipment, and the meteorological conditions. The pilot was a highly experienced instructor with over 2,500 flying hours, including significant night and instrument experience. However, the investigation noted that the pilot had expressed feelings of fatigue earlier that day, though his exact level of exhaustion could not be determined due to incomplete logbook data regarding instructor duties.
Technically, the Cessna 172M was well-maintained and met all regulatory requirements for night flight. However, it lacked a ground proximity warning system (GPWS) or a radar altimeter. Investigators also found that while the operator had met flight following regulations, the company was unaware of the aircraft's specific takeoff time or its diversion toward Saint-Georges. Furthermore, the aircraft's transponder was not active, and the ELT was destroyed upon impact, which hindered the initial search efforts.
Findings
- The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) in marginal conditions at an altitude below the company's specified minimums.
- The aircraft struck trees while flying at a low altitude without the pilot losing control of the aircraft.
- Fog and haze significantly reduced visibility, making it difficult for the crew to maintain visual contact with the ground.
- The lack of specialized warning instruments, such as a GPWS, meant the pilot had no automated alert of the impending terrain impact.
- The pilot's workload was likely increased by the lack of an autopilot or GPS, and the absence of updated flight plan communications meant the operator could not assist in a timely manner.