What happened
On a recent afternoon at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport, a Cessna 172K, registration C-GQOR, was performing an aerial advertising mission for Skywords Aerial Advertising. After completing a planned orbit near Port Credit, the aircraft returned to the airport to execute a low approach parallel to Runway 33 to release a banner into the grass.
Following the successful release of the banner, the pilot increased engine power to begin a standard overshoot maneuver to join the left-hand landing circuit. However, shortly after passing the departure end of the runway, the aircraft''s nose pitched up sharply to an estimated 45 degrees. At an altitude of approximately 250 feet, the aircraft reached an aerodynamic stall, causing the left wing to drop into a near 90-degree bank. The aircraft then entered a left-hand spin, striking the ground at a 45-degree nose-down angle. The impact and subsequent post-crash fire resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's maintenance history to identify the cause of the sudden pitch-up. The engine and propeller were found to be in working order, with no evidence of mechanical failure or fuel starvation. The flight controls, including cables and surfaces, were intact and free to move, and the pitch trim was found in a neutral position.
While the fuel selector was set only to the right tank—deviating from the standard procedure of selecting both tanks for landing—investigators determined this would not have prevented the engine from producing power. The investigation also considered several scenarios, including potential pilot incapacitation, improper aircraft configuration, or the possibility of the pilot's seat sliding backward on its rails due to improper locking. However, the fire and impact damage prevented a definitive determination of the seat's position at the time of the accident. Additionally, the investigation looked into whether the pilot's attempt to check the banner drop location through the rear window could have induced the pitch-up, but no conclusive evidence was found to support this.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced an unexplained, steep nose-up pitch during a normal overshoot maneuver.
- The aircraft reached an aerodynamic stall and entered a spin from which the pilot could not recover.
- The impact was not survivable, and a post-crash fire destroyed much of the cockpit and the right wing fuel tank.