What happened
On the night of 10 January 1996, a pilot prepared for a visual flight rules (VFR) departure from Flin Flon, Manitoba, to Lynn Lake. After communicating with the The Pas Flight Service Station to confirm taxi readiness and receiving local weather updates, the pilot departed from runway 18 at approximately 2110 CST. Shortly after takeoff, radio contact was lost.
Following the activation of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal detected by satellite, search and rescue operations were initiated. The aircraft was eventually located at 0200 CST on the frozen surface of Athapapuskow Lake, roughly 1.5 miles from the end of the runway. The impact was so severe that the Cessna 210 was destroyed, and the pilot sustained 1 fatality.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of the Cessna 210 and found no evidence of mechanical, powerplant, or flight control failures. Analysis of the propeller blades suggested the engine was at a high power setting at the moment of impact. Flight instruments, including the attitude gyro and horizontal situation indicator, remained functional and provided data consistent with the aircraft's final heading and a nose-down pitch.
Medical and toxicological examinations of the pilot showed no signs of impairment or medical emergency prior to the crash. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flying history, noting a recent loss of instrument rating due to poor altitude control and procedural errors. Environmental conditions were also scrutinized, specifically the lack of ambient light from the sky or ground in the remote area during the night departure.
Findings
- The crash occurred during a period of very low external illumination, with minimal ground lights and a dark night sky, which likely forced the pilot to rely on instruments despite flying under VFR.
- The aircraft's rapid acceleration during takeoff may have triggered a somatogravic illusion, causing the pilot to falsely perceive an increasing pitch.
- In response to this illusion, the pilot may have applied forward pressure to the controls, leading to a descent into the lake surface.