What happened
On the night of 03 December 1998, a First Air Hawker Siddeley HS-748-2A, registration not provided, was attempting a scheduled departure from Iqaluit, Nunavut, bound for Igloolik. During the takeoff roll on runway 36, the captain initiated rotation at the target speed, but the aircraft failed to lift off. After the aircraft reached 127 KIAS without becoming airborne, the captain initiated a rejected takeoff.
Despite applying full braking and aerodynamic braking, the aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining runway length. The aircraft exited the paved surface, causing the nose-wheel gear to collapse as it encountered soft ground. The aircraft then struck a localizer antenna, which caused the right wing to separate from the fuselage, and continued skidding through heavy rocks. The aircraft eventually came to rest in a nose-down position approximately 800 feet beyond the end of the runway. While the crew and passengers evacuated successfully, the flight attendant sustained minor injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's weight and balance, maintenance records, and the crew's decision-making process. Investigators found that the aircraft's actual gross takeoff weight was approximately 200 pounds over the maximum allowable limit. This discrepancy was attributed to the loadmaster adding extra baggage to the forward cargo compartment without using a scale to verify the weight.
Furthermore, the investigation looked into the aircraft's configuration and environmental conditions. While the aircraft had been cleared of snow from the wings using leaf blowers, the temperature was minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, which met the criteria for required de-icing under company policy. The investigation also noted that the use of water methanol, which could have shortened the takeoff roll, was not utilized.