What happened
On the morning of 26 September 2023, a Bell 206L helicopter, operated by Buchanan & Son Aviation Ltd, was performing a forestry survey. The flight departed from a private property located roughly 27 nautical miles east of Prince George Airport at 0735 Pacific Daylight Time. Shortly after the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 100 feet, it entered a spin and lost altitude, ultimately colliding with trees.
The accident resulted in two fatalities, involving the pilot and one front-seat passenger. The remaining four passengers sustained minor injuries. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft and ignited a fire near the engine exhaust, which a passenger managed to extinguish using the onboard fire extinguisher.
The investigation
Investigators focused on the flight path and the mechanical state of the aircraft following the collision. During the event, the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was activated; however, the signal failed to reach the Cospas-Sarsat search and rescue satellite system because the antenna had been damaged during the impact.