Incident Overview
On a medevac flight from Gods Lake Narrows, Manitoba, to Thompson, Manitoba, a Sky North Air Ltd. Beechcraft A100 (registration C-FSNA) operating as SN683 departed Runway 32 at 2140 central standard time. On board were two pilots, a flight nurse, and two patients. Shortly after rotation, while in a climbing left turn at approximately 400 feet above ground level, smoke and then flames emanated from the pedestal area in the cockpit near the horizontal stabilizer pitch trim position indicator. The crew continued the turn, intending to return to Runway 14. The aircraft contacted trees and came to rest in a wooded area about one-half nautical mile northwest of the airport.
Flight and Evacuation
The time between the appearance of smoke and flames and the collision with trees was 22 seconds. There was no opportunity for the pilots to brief the flight nurse and passengers. After the aircraft came to a stop, the captain exited his seat and instructed everyone to evacuate. The captain opened the door, which came to rest on trees and opened approximately one-half of its normal travel. Slack cables slightly impeded egress, but all five occupants exited. The first officer retrieved a winter jacket to keep an infant passenger warm. The group moved rearwards over fallen trees to a safe distance from the aircraft, which was by then engulfed in flames. Two occupants received minor injuries. The emergency locator transmitter was consumed by fire; it could not be determined whether it transmitted a signal.
Environmental Conditions
The accident occurred in total darkness after sunset at 1607; the moon was not visible. The closest weather observation, from Island Lake approximately 50 nautical miles south at 2200, reported wind 160° true at eight knots, visibility 15 statute miles, few clouds at 900 feet, ceiling overcast at 1600 feet, temperature -7°C. The terrain beyond the departure end of Runway 32 is lake and bush, devoid of light or features to discern the horizon.
Emergency Response
Search-and-rescue activities began after the aircraft did not arrive at its destination. The accident site was located at approximately 0250, and the occupants were evacuated. A military SAR Hercules aircraft searched but no ELT signal was evident. The ELT was too damaged to determine if it was armed or functioning; any signal would not have been long enough for SARSAT or overflying aircraft to receive.
Pilot and Training Information
The captain had approximately 3200 total flight hours, including 1850 on Beechcraft 100-series aircraft. The first officer had about 1000 total hours, with 500 on the same series. Both were certified and qualified. Flight and duty times were in accordance with regulations; work/rest schedules were not considered contributory. The operator conducted all flight training in company aircraft, practicing emergency drills at higher altitudes to simulate low-altitude scenarios. The standard operating procedure for engine failure during takeoff directs pilots to climb straight ahead to 1000 feet agl before completing checklist items, but no such direction existed for electrical fires. The operator's crews were not trained to respond to electrical fires at low altitudes. The SOP manual did not differentiate between electrical fires at enroute altitudes versus low altitudes.
Aircraft Systems and Equipment
The Beechcraft A100, manufactured in 1976, had electrically powered captain's flight instruments and pneumatically powered co-pilot's instruments. The electrical smoke or fire checklist in the SOP includes turning all electrical power off, which would de-energize the captain's instruments and cockpit lighting. The checklist cautions that this step should only be taken during daylight. In this occurrence, the captain did not turn off electrical power. The aircraft was equipped with oxygen masks and goggles stowed in pouches; the smoke did not hamper visibility or breathing, and the pilots did not don masks. A fire extinguisher was secured beneath the captain's seat, but the fire was momentary and not used. The aircraft was not equipped with quick-donning full-face masks, nor were they required by regulation.