What happened
On the afternoon of 10 November 1993, a Hawker Siddeley 748 Series 2A Model 234 operated by Air Manitoba Ltd. was performing a scheduled multi-stop flight originating from Winnipeg. The flight plan included stops at Sandy Lake, Ontario, and several locations in Manitoba. Due to poor visibility and low cloud ceilings, the crew was initially unable to land at Sandy Lake and diverted to St. Theresa Point.
After completing a routine turnaround at St. Theresa Point, the aircraft departed for Sandy Lake at 1720. Upon arriving at Sandy Lake at approximately 1745, 22 passengers disembarked, while four passengers remained on the aircraft. The engines were shut down during this stop, and no refueling or servicing took place. The flight departed Sandy Lake at 1805 with a total of seven occupants: two pilots, one flight attendant, and four passengers.
Shortly after departing from runway 29, the aircraft began a right-hand turn. Observers noted that the aircraft appeared to be flying at an unusually low altitude throughout the maneuver. As the plane reached a bank of approximately 120 degrees, it descended into a line of 100-foot trees. The impact occurred roughly one nautical mile northwest of the airport. The crash resulted in seven fatalities.
Findings
Witness accounts suggest that the aircraft maintained a lower than normal flight height during the execution of the right turn prior to the impact with the trees.