What happened
On a June afternoon in 2014, a de Havillandum DHC-2 Beaver, operated by Sudbury Aviation Limited, was performing an approach to Kennedy Lake, Ontario. The aircraft, registered C-FHVT, was carrying a pilot and two passengers. As the aircraft prepared for landing, it experienced a left roll before the pilot could initiate the flare.
In an effort to stabilize the plane, the pilot applied full right aileron and right rudder. Despite these corrective actions, the aircraft could not be recovered and struck rising, wooded terrain located just above the shoreline. The impact caused the aircraft to come to rest on its right side on a slope.
Following the impact, the passenger in the rear seat and the pilot sustained minor injuries, while the front passenger remained unhurt. The occupants were able to reach a nearby company fishing camp on foot. No fire occurred during the event, and a passenger manually triggered the 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT).
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. After the aircraft failed to arrive as scheduled, another aircraft from the same operator, a Cessna 185, flew to the lake. Simultaneously, a search and rescue aircraft located the site in response to the ELT signal. Communication between the Cessna 185 and the rescue crew confirmed that the occupants were safe and that additional rescue assistance was unnecessary.