Occurrence
On 22 August 2013, a Transwest Air float-equipped de Havilland DHC-3T Otter, registration C-FSGD, departed from Scott Lake, Northwest Territories, on a flight to an outpost camp in the area. The aircraft was reported overdue. The Rescue Coordination Centre dispatched an aircraft to coordinates provided by the operator, and the wreckage was discovered 7 nautical miles southeast of Ivanhoe Lake. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries.
Investigation
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) dive team and investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) were deployed to the site. The investigation was classified as a class 3 investigation, which typically analyzes a small number of safety issues and may result in recommendations. As part of the investigation, the TSB examined the wreckage and circumstances surrounding the occurrence.
Findings
According to a TSB news release issued on 8 January 2015, damage to the wing from a tree strike likely contributed to the crash.