What happened
On the evening of 16 August 2021, a Rockwell International Aero Commander 690B, registered as C-GYLD, was performing a visual flight rules flight from Thunder Bay Airport to Dryden Regional Airport, Ontario. The aircraft, operated by MAG Aerospace Canada Corp. as flight BD160, was occupied solely by the pilot.
At approximately 21:09 Eastern Daylight Time, the aircraft began its takeoff roll on Runway 12. Shortly after the pilot rotated the aircraft, it entered a left bank and continued to roll. The aircraft subsequently struck the surface of Runway 07 while in an inverted attitude. The impact and a subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft's emergency locator transmitter was activated upon impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control during the takeoff phase. Investigators examined the flight path, the aircraft's attitude at the moment of impact, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident.