What happened
On the afternoon of the accident, a Cessna 172M floatplane, registered C-GGVK, was conducting a cross-country flight in British Columbia. Operated by Parallel Seaplanes Inc., the aircraft initially departed from Lake Cowichan with three occupants—two pilots and one passenger—heading toward Sooke. After a scheduled lunch stop at the Bamfield water aerodrome, the crew departed the dock at approximately 1430.
Instead of following the intended return route via Nitnat Lake, the aircraft turned right toward the Alberni Inlet. During this flight, the aircraft was observed flying at a low altitude, approximately 500 feet above the water. At roughly 1500, the aircraft crashed approximately 15 nautical miles northeast of Bamfield. Following the activation of an emergency locator transmitter, search and rescue teams located the wreckage. The crash resulted in three fatalities, though no fire was reported at the site.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of the Cessuna 172M and found no evidence of mechanical failure or control surface issues. The engine was determined to have been operating at high power at the moment of impact. Analysis of the airspeed indicator showed the aircraft was traveling at only 40 knots, indicating it had not exceeded stall speed.
Evidence from the crash site, including the lack of tree damage surrounding the wreckage, suggested the aircraft stalled very close to the treetops. The aircraft's position, pointed downhill and away from its intended path, suggested the pilot was attempting to reverse course while flying at a low level through the valley.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at a very low altitude relative to the terrain.
- The aircraft entered a stall and spin while the pilot was attempting to reverse course.
- The altitude at which the stall occurred provided insufficient height for the crew to execute a recovery before hitting the terrain.
- The pilot's use of right aileron control was ineffective for recovering from the stall/spin state.
- There is a lack of regulatory standards for mountain flying training in Canada, which can lead to pilots delaying critical turning decisions until it is too late.