What happened
The incident occurred when the aircraft departed Portage la Prairie to conduct a navigation exercise. During the operation, the plane was flying at a very low altitude while cruising. The aircraft subsequently collided with a tree and crashed approximately 5 km southeast of Darlingford.
All four individuals on board were killed in the accident. The crew consisted of two pilots and two navigators. No survivors were reported from the impact site.
Findings
The official investigation identified unauthorized low flying as the primary factor contributing to the disaster. The pilot was found to have flown the aircraft at a height that did not allow sufficient clearance from obstacles, leading directly to the collision with the tree.