What happened
On the evening of 23 January 2019, an Air Creebec Inc. de Havilland DHC-8-102, registered as C-GTCO, was performing a scheduled flight from Rouyn-Noranda Airport, Quebec, to Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport. The flight was carrying six passengers and three crew members.
During the takeoff roll on Runway 26 at approximately 2135 Eastern Standard Time, the aircraft began to drift toward the left side of the runway. The left main landing gear eventually left the paved surface and struck a snow windrow located five feet from the runway edge. The aircraft continued its leftward movement before coming to a stop in a compacted snowbank roughly 40 feet away from the runway. The incident occurred at night under conditions of reduced visibility, with snow showers limiting sight to about 2 statute miles.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's path during the takeoff roll and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators noted that the emergency locator transmitter failed to activate during the event. The aircraft suffered significant damage to its propellers, landing gear, and fuselage.
Findings
- The aircraft's departure from the runway was driven by ineffective visual monitoring during the takeoff roll.
- One passenger sustained minor injuries during the excursion.
- Environmental factors, including darkness and snow showers, contributed to the operational context of the accident.