What happened
On 11 August 2023, a Diamond DA20-C1 aircraft, registered as C-FRZG, was performing a flight for a private pilot licence training session. The flight originated from the Cooking Lake Aerodrome in Alberta, carrying both a flight instructor and a student pilot.
While operating within the local training area, the aircraft struck the surface of Beaverhill Lake, located approximately 20 nautical miles east of the Cooking Lake Aerodrome. The impact occurred at 1806:43 MDT, causing the aircraft to settle in shallow water. No fire occurred following the collision.
Following the aircraft's failure to arrive as scheduled, Cooking Lake Aviation Academy Inc. triggered its emergency response plan later that evening. Search operations were subsequently launched by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario. The wreckage was located shortly after midnight on 12 August 2023.
Upon arrival of emergency personnel, the flight instructor was found deceased at the scene. The student pilot sustained serious injuries and, despite being transported to a hospital in Edmonton, passed away two days later.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the impact and the subsequent emergency response. The investigation established that the aircraft's 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter failed to activate automatically upon the aircraft hitting the water.