Accident Details
On a charter flight under instrument flight rules from Sept-Îles to Dorval, Quebec, a Propair Inc. Super King Air 200 (serial number BB-153) with two pilots and ten passengers was preparing for takeoff. The co-pilot, occupying the left seat, began the takeoff roll on runway 09 at 1700 eastern standard time (EST).
At an indicated airspeed of approximately 90 knots, 5 knots below rotation speed (VR), the aircraft began to drift left toward the runway edge. The copilot attempted to correct the take-off track using the rudder but was unsuccessful. At around 100 knots, just before the aircraft exited the runway, the co-pilot pulled the elevator control fully back and initiated a climb. At about the same moment, the pilot-in-command throttled back, believing a collision with the snowbank at the runway edge was inevitable.
The aircraft descended until it struck the snow-covered surface north of the runway and slid on its belly before coming to rest on a heading opposite to the take-off heading. The pilot-in-command sustained slight injuries. The aircraft suffered considerable damage. All occupants evacuated using the main door.
Findings
The official investigation identified the probable cause as the lack of cockpit coordination when the pilot-in-command took control of the aircraft while it was airborne. Contributing factors included marginal environmental conditions, a contaminated runway surface, poor cockpit management, ineffective briefing, and inadequate training for rejected take-offs.