What happened
The incident occurred during night solo training exercises at Fort McLeod Airfield. The pilot was executing a final approach to land when the aircraft collided with a second RCAF Anson that was registered as 7472. This second aircraft was also engaged in a local solo training sortie and was carrying one pilot. Following the impact, both airplanes inverted and crashed into a field located near the airport perimeter. The collision resulted in fatal injuries for both pilots, who were killed in the accident.
Findings
The investigation concluded that negligence by the air traffic controller on duty contributed to the event. Specifically, the controller permitted other aircraft to take off and land without accurately knowing the location of an aircraft that had previously been given permission to land. Although the controller had known the position of that specific aircraft earlier, this knowledge was not maintained or utilized to prevent the conflict. Additionally, it was noted that the pilot of the approaching aircraft failed to see the stationary plane. This lack of visual contact was attributed to apparent failures in the electrical systems of the approaching aircraft, which likely prevented adequate lighting. The pilot also did not make an effort to warn the control officer using a flashlight.