What happened
On a scheduled night courier flight from Moncton, New Brunswick, a Piper Navajo Chieftain, registered C-GNPG, crashed while attempting an approach to Bathurst. The flight, operating as Empress 204, was flying in instrument meteorological conditions characterized by darkness and heavy snow.
During the non-precision NDB/DME approach to runway 10, the aircraft struck trees approximately 3.75 nautical miles from the airport, located 0.75 nautical miles inside the Bathurst beacon. The impact destroyed the aircraft and resulted in two fatalities for the two-person crew.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the descent profile and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Radar data indicated the aircraft maintained 6,000 feet until approximately 11 miles from the Bathurst beacon, suggesting a steep descent of roughly 1,500 feet per minute was required to reach the approach altitude.
Investigators examined several factors, including the possibility of airframe icing, though weather reports from other aircraft suggested only trace amounts of icing were present. The aircraft's weight and center of gravity were within limits, and the airframe was functioning normally prior to impact. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's radio altimeter had been unserviceable for several months, and the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) had been removed for recertified and not reinstalled.
Findings
- The crew of Empress 204 descended below the minimum descent altitude required for the approach.
- The aircraft struck trees at an elevation 250 feet below the minimum descent altitude (MDA).
- The high rate of descent required to transition from 6,000 feet to the approach altitude may have made monitoring the descent difficult.
- The lack of a functioning radio altimeter meant there was no instrument to potentially alert the crew to their low altitude.