Occurrence
At approximately 1900 Eastern Daylight Time on 03 June 2010, a privately operated Lake Buccaneer LA-4-200 amphibious aircraft (registration C-GGFK, serial number 1082), with a pilot and a passenger on board, departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight from Lac de la Marmotte II to Baie Comeau, Quebec. The 98 nautical mile flight was expected to take about 1.3 hours. When the aircraft did not arrive by the end of day on 04 June 2010, a search was initiated on the morning of 05 June 2010. Using sonar, the aircraft was located on 26 June 2010 by the Sûreté du Québec police dive team at a depth of 230 feet in Lac Berté, 5 nautical miles south of Lac de la Marmotte II. The aircraft and occupants were recovered on 02 and 03 July 2010 with the assistance of a remotely operated vehicle equipped with an underwater camera. The aircraft sustained substantial damage on impact with the water surface. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured and drowned. No emergency locator transmitter signal was detected by the search and rescue system.
History of Flight
The pilot and passenger had departed from Baie Comeau (Manic 1) airstrip (CSL9) on 01 June 2010 for a VFR flight to the pilot's cottage on Lac de la Marmotte II. The flight was uneventful. On 03 June, a voicemail message left at 1806 indicated they would be returning to Baie Comeau, but without specifying the date. On 05 June, a private helicopter search found debris from the right wing auxiliary fuel tank on the shore of a bay on the northeast side of Lac Berté. The aircraft was later located underwater and recovered.
Weather
Photos retrieved from the passenger's camera, taken during the flight, showed sunny conditions with scattered clouds and light winds, resulting in glassy water conditions on the lake. A weather study by Environment Canada confirmed that the Manicouagan reservoir region weather was appropriate for VFR flight at the time, with clear skies and light winds from the east at less than 5 knots.
Aircraft and Pilot
The aircraft, a single-engine Lake LA-4-200 EPR amphibious aircraft, was manufactured in 1983 and purchased new by the pilot in May 1983. It was certified, equipped, and maintained in accordance with regulations. The pilot held a valid private pilot licence since 1975 and a seaplane endorsement since 1976, with approximately 2930 hours total flying time, mostly on Lake aircraft. He had met all Transport Canada currency training requirements. The aircraft was not equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-existing structural deficiencies. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The flaps were in the up position (normal for cruise), landing gear up and locked, and elevator trim in the cruise position. The vertical speed indicator showed a descent rate of 1000 to 1500 feet per minute at impact, which is considered high for a planned landing in glassy water conditions. The pilot's wrists showed fractures, indicating he was conscious and at the controls at impact. The passenger had no wrist or arm fractures.
Investigation Findings
The investigation considered two possible scenarios: a missed precautionary or emergency landing due to operational difficulties and glassy water conditions, or a loss of control from pilot or passenger impairment. Both the pilot and passenger had pre-existing health risk factors that could have led to a sudden medical event. However, there was insufficient factual information to conclusively determine why the aircraft descended into the water.