The Occurrence
On August 16, 2018, at approximately 1830 Mountain Daylight Time, a Simpson Air (1981) Limited float-equipped Cessna U206G aircraft (registration C-FNEQ, serial number U20605036) was conducting a sightseeing flight. The flight originated from Fort Simpson Island Water Aerodrome, Northwest Territories, with stops at Virginia Falls and Little Doctor Lake, Northwest Territories. The aircraft carried the pilot and four passengers. During a water landing at Little Doctor Lake, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, which nosed over and came to rest inverted and partially submerged.
Emergency Response
The pilot and one passenger were able to escape the submerged fuselage and climb onto the floats. They were rescued by a nearby boater within 15 minutes. The three remaining occupants could not escape and drowned. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated upon impact; however, the signal was not received by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre because the ELT was submerged.
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada classified this occurrence as a class 3 investigation. Class 3 investigations analyze a small number of safety issues and may result in recommendations. The investigation is generally completed within 450 days.