What happened
On 10 May 2024, a privately owned Piper PA-32-260 (Cherokee Six) was performing a visual flight rules (VFR) flight from Saint-Georges-de-Beauce Airport, Quebec, toward Sherbrooke Airport, Quebec. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and one passenger.
During the middle of the flight, the pilot observed a decrease in oil pressure accompanied by an increase in oil temperature. Following these indications, the pilot issued a distress call via radio. As the aircraft approached within approximately 2 nautical miles of its destination, the engine seized. This mechanical failure necessitated an emergency landing in a field located next to the airport terminal.
Upon impact with the trees, the aircraft was destroyed. There was no fire following the crash, but the two occupants sustained injuries.
The investigation
The TSB conducted a class 4 investigation into the event, which focused on the sequence of the flight and the mechanical state of the engine during the descent.