Background
A Beech King Air C90 operated by Slave Air (1988) Ltd. was conducting an air ambulance flight from Slave Lake to Red Earth, Alberta, to pick up a patient. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) at night. On board were two pilots, a paramedic, an emergency medical technician (EMT), a four-year-old patient, and the patient's sister.
Flight History
The first officer was the pilot flying. During the first approach to runway 10 at Slave Lake, the aircraft was not aligned with the runway, and an overshoot was initiated. Shortly after the overshoot began, the aircraft entered cloud, and the pilots lost visual reference with the ground. The aircraft struck the surface of a frozen lake while in a left, descending turn.
During the impact, the EMT, who was attending to the patient and not strapped into his seat, was propelled forward onto the centre console between the pilots. The patient, lying on a stretcher without the shoulder harnesses secured, was ejected from the stretcher and ended up in the arms of the EMT.
Injuries and Damage
No serious injuries were sustained by any of the six occupants. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Minor environmental damage occurred due to spilt oil and hydraulic fluids.
Probable Cause
The Board determined that, during the overshoot, the aircraft entered cloud and the flight crew lost situational awareness, resulting in the pilot unintentionally flying the aircraft into the ice surface of the lake. Contributing to the loss of situational awareness were the lack of planning and briefing for the approach, the breakdown in crew coordination during the overshoot, and inadequate attention being paid to the flight instruments.