Occurrence
On 27 December 2023, at 1205 Mountain Standard Time, an Air Tindi Ltd. De Havilland Inc. DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300 (registration C-GMAS, serial number 438) departed Margaret Lake, Northwest Territories, as flight TIN601. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules to Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories, with 2 flight crew members and 8 passengers on board.
Upon arriving over the Lac de Gras road camp, the flight crew performed four approaches toward the intended landing area on the frozen lake surface. During these approaches, the aircraft descended at times to heights below 50 feet above ground level. During the fourth and final approach, the aircraft descended below 50 feet above ground level, and the flight crew lost visual contact with the terrain. At 1245 Mountain Standard Time, the aircraft impacted the terrain 1 nautical mile southeast of the desired landing site.
Injuries and Damage
The impact resulted in two passengers being seriously injured; they were unable to egress from the aircraft. The remaining occupants, including one passenger who was ejected from the aircraft, sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged due to impact forces. There was no post-impact fire.
Aftermath
The emergency locator transmitter activated following the crash. Search and rescue personnel from the Canadian Armed Forces and a volunteer search party from the Diavik mine in Northwest Territories arrived at the scene 8 hours after the occurrence. The following morning, all individuals except the volunteer search party were flown to Diavik Aerodrome (CDK2), Northwest Territories, and subsequently to Yellowknife Airport (CYZF), Northwest Territories.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the occurrence as a class 3 investigation, focusing on a limited number of safety issues.