What happened
On the evening of February 1, 2018, a privately operated Robinson R44 Raven I helicopter, registered C-GYMG, departed from Saint-Georges de Beauce, Quebec. The flight was being conducted under night visual flight rules (VFR) toward Saint-Alexis-de-Montcalm, Quebec, carrying a pilot and two passengers.
At approximately 20:32 Eastern Standard Time, the Canadian Mission Control Centre detected a distress signal transmitted by the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter. Following this alert, the helicopter was located at about 21:35 in a field situated in Saint-Joachim-de-Courval, Quebec, near Drummondville. The impact with the terrain and a subsequent fire caused the total destruction of the aircraft. All three occupants sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances leading to the collision with the terrain. Investigators examined the flight path, the timing of the emergency signal, and the conditions present during the night flight. The analysis highlighted the specific risks involved when pilots lack sufficient recent experience in instrument flight during night operations.