What happened
On December 12, 2008, at 0143 MST, a Dornier 228-202 aircraft, registration C-FYEV, struck the ground approximately 1.5 nautical miles from the runway threshold at Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. The aircraft, operated by Summit Air Charters Ltd., was performing a charter flight from Resolute Bay under instrument flight rules. During the final approach to Runway 31 True, the aircraft collided with the terrain in a shallow descent. Of the 14 people on board, including two pilots and 12 passengers, 2 persons received serious injuries.
Prior to the accident, the crew had experienced GPS signal degradation during the descent. While attempting to navigate to the runway, the crew transitioned from an instrument approach to an abbreviated visual approach. During this maneuver, the aircraft deviated from the intended track, and the crew's attention was divided by the need to reprogram the GPS equipment. The aircraft eventually impacted the snow-covered ground with wings level.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight crew's performance, the aircraft's navigational equipment, and the airport's lighting systems. Investigators analyzed radar data from the Department of National Defence to reconstruct the aircraft's track and descent. The investigation also focused on the crew's familiarity with the installed Garmin 430W GPS, as they were primarily trained on different equipment.
Furthermore, the technical condition of the aircraft's barometric altimeters was scrutinized. It was discovered that the captain's altimeter was inaccurate due to internal gear damage. The investigation also looked into the maintenance of the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) system at Cambridge Bay and the crew's fatigue levels, noting that the flight occurred during a period of circadian rhythm low for the pilots.