What happened
On August 3, 2026, two single-engine aircraft were conducting visual flight rules operations in the vicinity of Chilliwack Airport, British Columbia. A Cessna 172S (registration C-FMNB) operated by Aquila Aviation Limited was on a local training flight with an instructor and a student pilot aboard. Simultaneously, a Cessna 172L (registration C-FBZQ) from Pacific Rim Aviation Academy Incorporated departed Pitt Meadows Airport for a cross-country route via Chilliwack.
Approximately 25 minutes after their respective departures, the two aircraft converged in the airspace west-northwest of the airport. The Cessna 172S was flying west-southwest at 2,000 feet above sea level, while the Cessna 172L was climbing northwest following a touch-and-go maneuver. The planes collided at an altitude of 1,900 feet.
Following the impact, the Cessna 172L descended nearly vertically into a nearby lake and submerged, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the fatal injury of its pilot. The Cessna 172S sustained substantial damage but managed to land safely at Chilliwack Airport; however, it could not taxi to the apron due to the extent of the damage. No injuries were reported among the occupants of the second aircraft.
The investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) classified this event as a Class 3 investigation, focusing on analyzing specific safety issues within the occurrence. Investigators examined the flight paths, altitudes, and timing of both aircraft to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the mid-air collision. The analysis included reviewing the operational context of both training flights and the airspace usage around Chilliwack Airport.
Findings
The investigation established that the collision occurred when one aircraft was climbing after a touch-and-go while the other was flying level on a local route. The proximity of the two aircraft in the same airspace, combined with their opposing or converging trajectories at similar altitudes, led to the mid-air impact. The specific causal factors related to loss of situational awareness or traffic conflict resolution are part of the ongoing analysis.