Occurrence
On 20 November 2014, at 0642 Mountain Standard Time, an Air Tindi Ltd. Cessna 208B Caravan (registration C-FKAY, serial number 208B0470) departed Yellowknife Airport, Northwest Territories, under instrument flight rules. Operated by Discovery Air as flight DA223, the aircraft was en route to Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories. The flight had been rescheduled from the previous night because of freezing drizzle at Fort Simpson.
Sequence of Events
During the climb to 8000 feet above sea level, DA223 encountered icing conditions that necessitated a return to Yellowknife. While returning to Yellowknife, the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude. At 0721, in darkness approximately 18 nautical miles west of Yellowknife, the aircraft contacted the frozen surface of the North Arm of Great Slave Lake. The aircraft struck a rock outcropping, sustaining substantial damage.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot and the 5 passengers were not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage when it hit the rock outcropping.
Post-Landing Events
The pilot established communication with Air Tindi via satellite phone. The pilot and passengers were recovered approximately 4 hours after the landing. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) did not activate automatically upon landing but was activated manually by the pilot.
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada conducted a class 3 investigation into the occurrence. A news release from March 24, 2016, stated that a lack of awareness of aircraft limitations in severe icing contributed to the event.