What happened
A Piper PA-34-200T departed Fort McMurray, Alberta, on a 62-nautical-mile charter flight to La Loche, Saskatchewan. The flight, carrying one pilot and five passengers, took place at night under visual flight rules (VFR). After the aircraft failed to return as scheduled, a search was initiated by the operator and later supported by Canadian Forces personnel. The wreckage was discovered the following afternoon.
The impact resulted in three fatalities and three passengers sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by the force of the crash and a subsequent fire. Evidence suggests the aircraft struck the tops of poplar trees while in a shallow descent and a slight right bank, eventually coming to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, the pilot's qualifications, and the prevailing environmental conditions. Technical analysis of the wreckage showed that both engines were producing power at the moment of impact and no mechanical malfunctions or icing on critical surfaces were detected. The aircraft's emergency locator transmitter failed to activate because it was destroyed during the crash.
Weather observations indicated that while conditions at departure were suitable for night VFR, the cloud ceiling dropped significantly as the flight progressed toward La Loche. The investigation also reviewed the operator's Flight Operations Manual (FOM) and the pilot's training records. It was noted that the aircraft was not equipped for flight into clouds (IFR) due to an unserviceable autopilot and an altimeter that was overdue for calibration.
Findings
- The pilot continued flying into weather and lighting conditions that prevented the avoidance of terrain.
- As the flight progressed, the available ground lighting and visual references decreased significantly due to the dark forest and low cloud cover.
- The aircraft was not capable of being flown under instrument flight rules (IFR) at the time because it lacked the necessary equipment for flight into clouds.
- The operator's manual provided insufficient guidance regarding night VFR operations and obstacle clearance requirements.
- The pilot continued flight into adverse weather and lighting conditions which did not enable him to avoid collision with terrain.
- Potential contributing factors included customer and self-induced pressures to complete the flight despite deteriorating conditions.