What happened
At approximately 13:38 Atlantic Daylight Time, a Grumman TBM-3E fire-fighting aircraft, registered C-GFPL, departed Miramichi Airport, New Brunswick, for a scheduled practice water drop mission. Shortly after takeoff, while flying at roughly 500 feet above the ground, the aircraft began a shallow descent and a right-hand bank. The aircraft struck several trees and crashed into a wooded area near an industrial site south of the airport. The impact destroyed the aircraft and caused the water load to be expelled. There were no survivors, as medical examination confirmed the pilot had suffered a a heart attack prior to the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the medical circumstances surrounding the pilot's fitness for flight. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure, airframe malfunction, or adverse weather conditions contributing to the crash. It was established that the pilot had a history of hypertension, for which they were taking medication. However, this specific condition was not documented on the pilot's Aviation Medical Examination Report because the pilot had not disclosed it to the Civil Aviation Medical Examiner (CAME), and the pilot's family physician had not reported it to Transport Canada.
Furthermore, the investigation examined the effectiveness of the current cardiovascular risk assessment guidelines. While the pilot's 10-year risk score was calculated at 16% (medium risk), investigators noted that had certain metabolic indicators, such as elevated fasting blood sugar and triglycerides, been disclosed, a more rigorous assessment—including an exercise treadmill test—might have identified the underlying coronary disease.