History
Flight 3101, operated by Air Sandy, was a Piper PA-31 Navajo carrying one pilot and four passengers. It departed Sioux Lookout on a visual flight rules flight to Red Lake, Ontario. Flight 362, operated by Bearskin Airlines, was a Fairchild Swearingen Metro 23 with two pilots and one passenger, inbound from Red Lake under instrument flight rules. The collision occurred at 4,500 feet above sea level, approximately 12 nautical miles northwest of Sioux Lookout, at 1328 central daylight saving time. The Winnipeg area control centre had advised the Sioux Lookout Flight Service specialist of Bearskin 362's approach. Bearskin 362 cancelled IFR and was receiving an airport advisory when an emergency locator transmitter signal was heard. A pilot in the vicinity reported seeing a bright flare and a fire on the ground. The wreckage of the Air Sandy aircraft was found in a wooded area, and the Bearskin aircraft crashed into Lac Seul.
Aircraft Information
Bearskin 362 (C-GYYB) was a 1993 Fairchild SA227-CC Metro 23 powered by two Garrett TPE331 turboprop engines. It had a valid certificate of airworthiness and was within weight and balance limits. Air Sandy 3101 (C-GYPZ) was a 1976 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo powered by two Lycoming TIO-540 piston engines. It had been modified with a vortex generator kit, increasing maximum takeoff weight to 7,250 pounds. Both aircraft were properly maintained in accordance with regulations.
Personnel
The Bearskin flight crew consisted of a 27-year-old captain with 7,330 total flight hours and a 30-year-old first officer with 2,810 hours. Both held airline transport pilot licenses and were certified for the flight. The Air Sandy flight was operated by a 29-year-old captain with a commercial pilot license and 1,250 total hours, including 1,000 hours on the Navajo. All pilots were trained to Transport Canada standards. The Flight Service specialist on duty was qualified and had no medical issues.
Meteorological Conditions
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The area forecast indicated scattered cumulus clouds based at 4,000 to 5,000 feet asl, with visibility greater than six miles. The reported weather at Sioux Lookout about 28 minutes before the collision included scattered clouds at 3,500 feet agl, overcast at 8,000 feet agl, visibility 15 miles, and wind from 210 degrees at 6 knots. A witness in a Beech 99 at 4,000 feet asl reported unlimited visibility below a solid overcast at 6,500 feet asl.
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada determined that neither flight crew saw the other aircraft in time to avoid the collision. Contributing factors included the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept in separating aircraft with high closure rates, the lack of direct alerting from the Flight Service specialist or onboard electronic equipment, and an apparent lack of pilot understanding of how to optimize avoidance maneuvering.