What happened
A Douglas DC-3C freighter, operating as Buffalo Air Flight 526, was performing a series of shuttle flights to transport jet fuel for forest fire suppression efforts. On the final leg of the mission, departing from Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, the aircraft was unable to maintain engine power. While turning final for runway 31 at Fort Simpson, the crew notified the Flight Service Station that they were attempting an emergency landing on a road. The aircraft struck trees approximately 0.5 nautical miles short of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The first officer sustained serious injuries, while the captain suffered minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on fuel management and crew coordination, as the aircraft was found to be airworthy and the weather conditions were suitable for VFR flight. Investigators established that the flight began with a fuel load that did not meet the minimum requirements mandated by both company policy and aviation regulations.
During a previous stop at Fort Simpson, the crew had noted conflicting calculations regarding remaining fuel. Although the first officer expressed concern that more fuel was needed, the captain decided to proceed with the flight, intending to refuel during the next shuttle. Because the crew distrusted the cockpit gauges, they attempted to verify levels with a dip-stick, but the tool was unavailable at the time. The investigation also noted that the aircraft lacked shoulder harnesses, which likely contributed to the crew's injuries as they were thrown against the instrument panel upon impact.
Findings
- The flight was initiated with a fuel quantity below the minimum required levels, which led to engine failure due to fuel exhaustion.
- A lack of effective coordination between the flight crew contributed to the accident.
- The first officer did not sufficiently challenge the captain's decision despite having different fuel calculations.
- Neither crew member had received formal Crew Resource Management (CRM) or Pilot Decision Making (PDM) training from the operator.