What happened
On a scheduled flight from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Ontario, to Sault Ste. Marie Airport, Ontario, a Bombardier DHC-8-402 operated by Porter Airlines Inc. experienced a landing incident. The aircraft, registered as C-GLQO, was performing flight POE689 during the hours of darkness. As the aircraft touched down on Runway 30 at 2216 Eastern Daylight Time, the tail of the plane made contact with the runway surface. Following the strike, the aircraft successfully taxied to the gate, where all passengers were permitted to deplane.
While there were no injuries reported among the passengers or the crew, the impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The emergency locator transmitter did not activate during the event.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the touchdown on Runway 30. Investigators examined the flight path and the stability of the aircraft during its final approach to determine why the tail made contact with the ground.