What happened
On 4 May 2019, a Cessna 182E, registered as C-FLVN, was performing a fire surveillance mission on behalf of the BC Wildfire Service. The aircraft was operating under daytime visual flight rules in the region near Smithers, British Columbia, carrying a pilot and three crew members.
Roughly three hours after the flight began, the pilot issued a Mayday distress call, after which all radio contact with the aircraft ceased. Following the transmission, the aircraft's 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter activated upon impact, alerting the Canadian Mission Control Centre. A search operation involving a helicopter was subsequently launched. The wreckage was eventually discovered in a forested area located approximately 50 nautical miles north of Smith and 500 feet north of the Babine River, near the Silver Hilton Steelhead Lodge airstrip.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances leading to the aircraft's collision with trees and terrain. The wreckage analysis confirmed that the Cessna 182E was destroyed in the crash, though no fire occurred after the impact. The investigation established that the flight was engaged in official wildfire monitoring duties at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The crash resulted in 3 fatalities and 1 injury.
- The primary cause of the accident was carburetor ice, which led to a loss of engine power during the flight.