What happened
On the evening of November 2014, a Cessna 150M, registered as C-GJAO and operated by Flyblocktime Incorporated, departed from Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport, Ontario. The flight was scheduled to proceed to Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport under night visual flight rules with two people on board.
At 2025 Eastern Standard Time, the pilot issued a mayday call on the 121.5 MHz emergency frequency, stating that the aircraft was lost and experiencing low fuel levels. Because the aircraft was flying below radar coverage, air traffic control relied on relay communications from high-flying commercial aircraft to receive the distress signals. Despite multiple attempts by air traffic controllers to guide the pilot to a suitable landing site, the pilot's final radio transmission occurred at 2127, followed shortly by the crash. The aircraft's emergency locator transmitter triggered upon impact.
Search-and-rescue teams located the wreckage in the southern region of Algonquin Provincial Park at roughly 2340. However, due to bad weather, responders could not reach the crash site until 0300. Both occupants of the aircraft sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the flight's departure and the subsequent loss of navigation. The investigation focused on the pilot's ability to maintain situational awareness during night operations and the functionality of the onboard equipment. The search for the wreckage was complicated by severe weather conditions, which delayed the physical assessment of the accident scene.