Sequence of Events
On the day of the occurrence, the pilot telephoned the London Flight Information Center at 1046 Eastern Daylight Time to obtain weather information. Meanwhile, the passenger, another company pilot, reviewed weather conditions on the NAV CANADA website. Both briefed senior personnel from Essential Helicopters, who deemed the weather suitable for the intended visual flight rules (VFR) flight from North Bay to Kapuskasing, Ontario. The helicopter departed North Bay at 1226. After clearing the control zone, no further communication with air traffic services occurred.
Two handheld global positioning system (GPS) devices were aboard; data from one was recovered. The GPS data indicated that the helicopter reached a maximum altitude of 2300 feet above sea level about 20 nautical miles from North Bay, then descended and maintained altitudes between 1550 and 1950 feet above sea level for the remainder of the flight.
The pilot obtained weather conditions for North Bay, Timmins, and Kapuskasing, all reporting VFR conditions. However, he did not obtain reports from stations near the flight path, such as Sudbury and Earlton, which reported worse weather. He also did not request a graphic area forecast or a pilot weather briefing, which would have provided more detailed information. The flight service specialist did not offer a pilot briefing as required. Consequently, the pilot was not fully aware of the weather conditions along the route.
All METARs indicated conditions above VFR minima, but the elevation at the occurrence site was higher than the reporting stations, which would reduce the cloud base above ground. This was confirmed by actual conditions at the site.
Collision with Tower
Approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes after departure, near Elk Lake, the helicopter collided with a tower approximately 79 feet in height. It then struck the ground about 430 feet beyond the tower and was destroyed. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries. There was no post-impact fire. The emergency locator transmitter activated, but its antenna was sheared off during impact, reducing its range.
The helicopter was traveling at a cruise speed of 104 knots about 1000 feet from the tower. The damage indicated a frontal impact with significant velocity. GPS data showed no sudden manoeuvres; the constant velocity and course suggested the pilot did not see the tower in time to react, likely because it was obscured by weather or blended into the overcast conditions.
About 17 nautical miles before the occurrence, the pilot had deviated from the intended flight path and reduced speed, likely due to higher terrain and weather. However, cruise speed was later regained, decreasing reaction time before impact. The tower was grey, unmarked, and unlit, making it difficult to see in reduced visibility. It was not depicted on the VNC or GPS databases. The GPS database was not updated, risking omission of known obstructions.
Findings
The Transportation Safety Board found that the pilot did not adequately review the weather for the intended route before departure. Additionally, the flight service specialist did not offer a weather briefing as per procedures. Consequently, the pilot was unaware of poor or deteriorating weather conditions. Due to the deteriorating weather, the pilot flew at low altitude, and reduced visibility likely obscured the tower, reducing available reaction time. The tower was not depicted on navigation charts or GPS, so the pilot was likely unaware of its existence. The outdated GPS database posed a risk of not displaying known obstructions. Flying below the maximum elevation figure and close to the ground increases the risk of encountering uncharted obstacles.
Safety Action Taken
In response to the occurrence, NAV CANADA published an Aeronautical Information Circular on August 25, 2011, clarifying the meaning of the Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF) on VNC charts. The circular explained that the MEF represents the highest feature in each quadrangle and that flight at or below the MEF may be at or below the highest obstruction. It advised pilots to provide a margin for ground and obstacle clearance and altimeter error.