What happened
On 27 November 2019, a Piper PA-32-260, registered as N50DK, departed Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport in Ontario, bound for Québec/Neuville Airport, Quebec. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and six passengers. While the flight began during daylight hours under visual flight rules, the majority of the journey was scheduled to occur after nightfall.
As the flight progressed, the pilot encountered worsening weather conditions, which led to several changes in the aircraft's altitude and flight path. Upon approaching Kingston Airport, Ontario, the pilot contacted the Kingston flight service station to communicate an intention to divert and land at that location. Shortly after, at 1705 Eastern Standard Time, the aircraft struck terrain roughly 3.5 nautical miles north of the airport. The impact resulted in 7 fatalities, and the aircraft was completely destroyed. No fire occurred after the crash.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the terrain impact and the environmental conditions present during the flight. Investigators examined the pilot's decision-making regarding weather deviations and the transition from daylight to night operations.