Occurrence
Northern Thunderbird Air Incorporated operated a Beechcraft King Air 100 (serial number B-36, registration C-GXRX) on a flight from Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, to Kelowna, British Columbia. The aircraft carried 7 passengers and 2 pilots. Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, the crew diverted back to Vancouver due to an oil leak. No emergency was declared.
At 1611 Pacific Daylight Time, while the aircraft was about 300 feet above ground level and roughly 0.5 statute miles from the runway, it suddenly banked left and pitched nose-down. The aircraft then collided with the ground, caught fire, and came to rest on a roadway immediately outside the airport fence.
Injuries and Damage
The aircraft was destroyed. All 7 passengers sustained serious injuries. Passersby assisted in evacuating 6 passengers, while fire and rescue personnel rescued the remaining passenger and both pilots. Both pilots later died from their injuries in hospital.
Other Facts
The aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter had been removed prior to the flight.