Occurrence
On an unspecified day in August 2013, at 1015 Pacific Daylight Time, a de Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver) floatplane (registration C-GPVB, serial number 871) operated by Air Nootka Ltd. departed Hesquiat Lake, British Columbia, with the pilot and 5 passengers. The flight was destined for the operator's water aerodrome base near Gold River, British Columbia. At the time of departure, visibility at Hesquiat Lake was approximately 2½ nautical miles in rain, and the cloud ceiling was about 400 feet above lake and sea level.
Approximately 3 nautical miles west of the lake, while over the Hesquiat Peninsula, the aircraft struck a tree top at about 800 feet above sea level and subsequently crashed. Shortly after the aircraft came to rest, a post-crash fire developed. All 6 persons on board survived the impact, but the pilot and 1 passenger succumbed to their injuries shortly after.
Emergency Response
A brief 406 megahertz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was transmitted following the crash. A search and rescue helicopter arrived and recovered the survivors at about 1600.