Grumman Goose crashes on South Thormanby Island in dense fog

Casualties unknown • South Thormanby Island, British Columbia, CA

A Pacific Coastal Airlines flight crashed into terrain on South Thormanby Island, resulting in seven fatalities and one serious injury.

What happened

At approximately 10:13 PST, a Grumman G-21A amphibious aircraft, registration C-FPCK, departed from the Vancouver International Airport water aerodrome. The flight, operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines, was carrying one pilot and seven passengers toward Powell River, British Columbia.

Roughly 19 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft struck terrain on a peak near Spyglass Hill on South Thormanby Island. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft. While one passenger was located with serious injuries on the island's eastern shoreline, the pilot and the remaining six passengers were killed. The aircraft's emergency locator transmitter failed to activate due to destruction during the crash.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the pilot's decision to depart and continue the flight under deteriorating conditions. Investigators examined weather reports, including a marginal improvement noted at Powell River and inaccurate visibility information from the Merry Island lighthouse, which may have misled the pilot.

Radar data indicated the aircraft was flying at a very low altitude, with most returns showing the plane between 0 and 100 feet above sea level. The investigation also looked into the aircraft's reliance on GPS for navigation and the lack of recent pilot decision-making training. Maintenance records confirmed the aircraft was airworthy prior to the accident.

Findings

  • The pilot chose to depart and continue the flight in weather conditions that were below visual flight rules (VFR) minimums.
  • The aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and the pilot did not identify the proximity of terrain until moments before the collision.
  • The pilot flew into terrain while attempting to avoid obstacles in low visibility.
  • Inaccurate weather information and a perceived trend of improving weather contributed to the decision to fly.
  • An over-reliance on GPS navigation in low-visibility conditions made it difficult to maintain visual ground references.
  • The failure of the emergency locator transmitter delayed the discovery of the wreckage.

Probable cause

The pilot operated the aircraft in weather conditions below VFR minimums and transitioned into IMC, leading to a controlled flight into terrain when the terrain was not recognized until it was too late to avoid.

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2008-11-16 Grumman G-21A C-FPCK accident near South Thormanby Island, British Columbia, CA?

A Pacific Coastal Airlines flight crashed into terrain on South Thormanby Island, resulting in seven fatalities and one serious injury.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2008-11-16 involved a Grumman G-21A C-FPCK, operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines, at South Thormanby Island, British Columbia, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot operated the aircraft in weather conditions below VFR minimums and transitioned into IMC, leading to a controlled flight into terrain when the terrain was not recognized until it was too late to avoid.

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