History of the Flight
On 17 July 2009, a Canadian Helicopters Limited float-equipped Bell 206L helicopter (registration C-GNLK, serial number 46601) departed from Kuujjuaq, Quebec, at 1118 Eastern Daylight Time on a visual flight rules flight to Coral Harbour, Nunavut, with stops at Kangirsuk, Kangiqsujuaq, Salluit, and Ivujivik. The pilot and an aircraft maintenance engineer were on board. The helicopter landed at Kangirsuk at 1256 after an unscheduled stop en route. After refueling, it departed for Kangiqsujuaq at 1339, following a direct route over treeless terrain at about 100 mph groundspeed.
Accident Sequence
Approximately 44 nautical miles from Kangiqsujuaq, at 1424, the helicopter diverted north towards the Hudson Strait coast due to reduced visibility and a low ceiling. It flew at low altitude and low speed, entering a valley leading to the strait. Groundspeed varied between 60 and 10 mph. About one statute mile from the coast, the helicopter turned left on a northwesterly heading, crossed the north valley wall, and continued low until passing a ridge. The last three GPS coordinates showed the aircraft crossing an arm of the sea at 56-62 mph, then 101 mph, at altitudes of 1152, 1060, and 652 feet asl. At 1434, the helicopter struck the north rock wall of the valley at about 700 feet asl in controlled flight. Both occupants were fatally injured. The wreckage was found six days later.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage and components revealed no evidence of airframe failure, control malfunction, or loss of power. The helicopter struck a rock wall in controlled flight in adverse weather conditions.
Pilot Information
The pilot had extensive military flying experience from 1980 to 1996, including 1477 hours on helicopters and training in low-altitude flight. He obtained a Canadian commercial pilot license in 2001 and an instrument rating in 2008. He had flown for Canadian Helicopters Limited since 2008, accumulating about 135 hours on Bell 206 and Eurocopter AS 350 in Alberta. In July 2009, he received training on a float-equipped Bell 206L and made his first flights on the east coast of Canada on 13-15 July. He had never flown in Northern Quebec and was likely unfamiliar with the Arctic maritime climate and coastal topography.
The pilot obtained weather information from the Kuujjuaq Flight Service Station and the CHL Goose Bay base before departing, but did not contact the Flight Information Centre for a graphic area forecast printout. En route, he made an unscheduled landing en route to Kangirsuk, likely due to weather. After receiving favorable weather reports at Kangirsuk, he continued to Kangiqsujuaq.