What happened
On the date of the accident, a Beechcraft 1900C, registration UC-85, operated by Régionnair Inc., was performing an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, to Saint-Augustin, Quebec. The aircraft was carrying a total of 12 people, consisting of two pilots and 10 passengers.
Prior to beginning the descent, the flight crew received an advisory from the Saint-Augustin Airport UNICOM station regarding local weather conditions. The report indicated a low ceiling of 300 feet, visibility of only a quarter-mile due to snow flurries, and southeasterly winds of 15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots. The crew proceeded with a LOC/DME non-precision approach for runway 20.
While the approach initially followed standard procedures, the flight progressed toward the minimum descent altitude (MDA). After the first officer noted the ground was visible beneath the aircraft, the captain elected to continue the descent below the established MDA. Shortly after, the ground proximity warning system (GPWS) triggered a minimums alarm. Approximately three seconds after the alarm, the aircraft struck the frozen surface of the Saint-Augustin River. While the aircraft sustained heavy damage, there were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries among the occupants.
Findings
Investigation into the event indicates that the primary factor was the decision to descend below the minimum descent altitude before the aircraft was safely established on the approach.