What happened
At 21:11 MST, a Sunwest Aviation Limited Beech 1900D, registration C-GSWZ, was performing a takeoff from Runway 25 at the Fort McMurray Airport. The aircraft, operating as Flight 411, was carrying two crewmembers and eighteen passengers. At the time of the incident, visibility was significantly reduced by light snow, with reports of approximately five-eighths of a statute mile.
As the aircraft approached its rotation speed, the pilot flying observed headlights on the runway ahead. To avoid a potential impact, the crew executed an immediate rotation. The aircraft climbed and passed approximately 100 to 150 feet above a snowplow that was actively clearing the runway. The crew subsequently contacted the flight service station to report the encounter and inquire about the vehicle's presence.
The investigation
The investigation established that the snowplow, designated Truck 81, had been instructed by the flight service specialist to return to Runway 25 to continue operations following a previous departure. However, the crew of C-GSWZ had not been notified of the vehicle's presence on the runway, nor had the operator been instructed to vacate the area prior to the aircraft's departure.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot flying was focused on tracking the runway centerline using edge lights, a task complicated by the glare from landing lights reflecting off falling snow. The first officer was monitoring instruments and power levers. The investigation also noted that the aircraft and the snowplow were operating on different radio frequencies, preventing mutual awareness through shared communications.
Findings
- The flight service specialist failed to use available reminders or aide memoires when clearing the vehicle back onto the runway, likely due to interruptions from other simultaneous tasks.
- The lack of a shared radio frequency between the aircraft and the ground vehicle prevented both parties from monitoring each other's movements.
- Reduced visibility caused by darkness and falling snow prevented the specialist from performing an effective visual scan and hindered the pilot's ability to identify the vehicle early.
- The snowplow operator and the flight crew were unable to accurately determine each other's positions due to the environmental conditions.