What happened
On a scheduled visual flight rules flight from Victoria Harbour to Vancouver Harbour, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver carrying a pilot and six passengers was on final approach to land in Area Alpha. At approximately 1639 PDT, after receiving landing clearance from the Vancouver Harbour control tower, the aircraft was descending toward the water at roughly 400 feet. Just as the aircraft neared touchdown, the pilot experienced a sudden impact and a shuddering sensation.
The aircraft's left float struck a small 17.5-foot SeaRay runabout. The pilot immediately aborted the landing, applied power, and climbed to avoid further trouble. While the occupants of the de Havost DHC-2 Beaver escaped without injury and the aircraft sustained no significant damage, the collision had severe consequences for the vessel on the water. The operator of the boat sustained serious injuries, including a collapsed lung and broken ribs, while the passenger suffered minor lacerations from shattered glass.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight paths of both vessels and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The air traffic controller, who was managing several aircraft alone at the time, had scanned the landing area prior to issuing clearance but did not observe the boat. It was noted that a large cruise ship moored at Canada Place may have temporarily obscured the boat from the controller's view.
On the water, the boat operator was engaged in conversation with a passenger and was not looking for approaching aircraft. The investigation also looked into the physical limitations of the pilot's cockpit, noting that the aircraft's structural pillars and windshield posts created significant blind spots on the left side. Furthermore, extreme sun glare reflecting off the water's surface was identified as a major factor that likely obscured the white boat from the pilot's view.
Findings
- The pilot failed to detect the boat in time to prevent the collision.
- The pilot's visibility was severely compromised by intense sun glare on the water, the masking effects of the aircraft's cabin structure, and inherent human visual limitations.
- The boat operator was unaware they were entering a designated landing zone and did not observe the aircraft.
- The air traffic controller did not identify the boat during the pre-landing scan and subsequently diverted attention to other aircraft traffic.
- The boat's position may have been temporarily hidden from the tower by the stern of a docked cruise ship.