What happened
On 27 September 2019, a Piper PA18-150, registered as C-GGVC, was performing a local flight near a farm located approximately 25 nautical miles east of Camrose, Alberta. The aircraft had previously landed in a field south of a road near the main farmyard to pick up a passenger for a short trip. After the passenger was dropped off, the aircraft departed the field, heading east with a steep climb.
At approximately 1645 Mountain Daylight Time, while flying at an altitude of about 90 feet above the ground, the aircraft experienced a stall and entered a left-hand spin. During this descent, the aircraft struck power lines, severing the top insulating wire and making contact with two subsequent conductor lines via the right wing. The impact was followed by a post-crash fire that completely destroyed the aircraft. The pilot, who was the only person on board, sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the flight circumstances following the accident. The aircraft was equipped with a 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT), but no signal was detected, as the device was destroyed in the fire. Additionally, a review of NAV CANADA records revealed that the pilot had not filed a flight plan nor requested a weather briefing prior to the flight.