What happened
On 27 December 2023, a wheel-ski equipped De Havilland Inc. DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300, registered as C-GMAS, was conducting a visual flight rules flight from Margaret Lake, Northwest Territories, to Lac de Gras. The aircraft, operated by Air Tindi Ltd., was carrying two crew members and eight passengers.
As the flight approached the Lac de Gras road camp, the crew performed four separate approaches toward a landing area on the frozen lake. During these maneuvers, the aircraft descended to altitudes of less than 50 feet above the ground. On the fourth and final attempt, the aircraft descended below 50 feet, at which point the crew lost visual contact with the terrain. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground approximately one nautical mile southeast of the intended landing site.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of the final approach and the loss of visual contact with the terrain. Following the impact, search and rescue teams from the Canadian Armed Forces and a volunteer group from the Diavik mine reached the wreckage eight hours later. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, though no fire occurred after the crash.
Findings
- The impact resulted in two serious injuries among passengers who were unable to exit the aircraft immediately.
- The other occupants, including one passenger who was ejected from the aircraft, sustained minor injuries.
- The primary factor in the accident was the loss of visual contact with the terrain during a low-altitude approach.