What happened
On the morning of the accident, a pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) flight from Lindsay, Ontario, to the Kitchener/Waterlot regional airport. After receiving radar flight following from the Toronto area control centre, the Cessna 310 was tracked at 4,500 feet above sea level. Upon approaching the Kitchener/Waterloo area, the pilot contacted the tower and was informed that weather conditions—specifically a broken cloud ceiling and fog—were below VFR limits. Although the pilot was granted special VFR (SVFR) clearance to land, the approval was later cancelled due to a lack of radio response.
Radar data later showed the aircraft began a steady, controlled descent from 4,500 feet to approximately 1,800 feet. During this period, the aircraft disappeared from radar tracking. Witnesses on the ground reported hearing the sound of an aircraft followed by a crash. The wreckage was located within 20 minutes of the radar signal loss, having struck trees in rising terrain at an elevation of 1,150 feet before coming to rest in a canola field. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical state, the pilot's medical history, and the prevailing meteorological conditions. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction prior to the impact. The aircraft was equipped with a shoulder harness, though the installation of this fixed-type harness had not been properly certified in the logbooks. It was noted that the pilot was not wearing the shoulder harness at the time of the crash.
Meteorological analysis revealed that a weak frontal trough had caused heavy fog and low stratus clouds to form, resulting in visibilities of less than one-half mile at the crash site. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's recent flying history and medical records. While the pilot had a long history of experience, he had flown only nine hours in the three months preceding the accident. Additionally, medical records indicated a history of migraines involving visual disturbances, which the pilot had not disclosed during aviation medical examinations.
Findings
- The pilot attempted to maintain or regain visual contact with the ground by descending through low clouds and dense fog.
- The aircraft struck trees in rising terrain during this descent.
- The pilot's decision to descend into rising terrain was driven by an attempt to break out of the clouds and find better visibility.
- Contributing factors to the decision to continue the flight included the pilot's lack of recent flight currency, the pressure of a scheduled passenger pickup, and the expectation of better weather at the destination.
- The pilot's failure to wear the available shoulder harness may have increased the severity of the injuries.