What happened
The flight originated from Miramichi-Chatham Airfield for a routine navigation training exercise. During the mission, meteorological conditions worsened significantly, leading to a loss of visual reference. The pilot attempted to locate the airbase using all available guidance methods but was unable to establish contact or identify the landing zone. As fuel reserves became critical and visibility remained poor due to fog, the crew initiated an emergency procedure. The aircraft was ditched into the river that separates Miramichi and Chatham.
Post-incident recovery efforts resulted in the rescue of three crew members. However, one individual, identified as the air gunner, drowned during the event. The total casualty count for this incident is one fatality.
Findings
The official investigation attributed the accident to an emergency landing necessitated by fuel exhaustion. A primary contributing factor was the lack of visibility caused by fog, which prevented the pilot from locating the airbase despite attempts to use various guidance means.