What happened
A scheduled flight departed from Edmonton at 19:47 local time, climbing to an altitude of 8,000 feet for the 35-minute journey toward Slave Lake. During the flight, the co-pilot communicated via the Slave Lake radio beacon at 20:25 local time, indicating an intention to contact the tower on final approach for runway 09.
While descending northwest of the Slave Lake Airport under nighttime conditions with restricted visibility, the aircraft type struck trees located on a ridge approximately one mile south of the lake. At the time of the impact, the pilot had reportedly finished a timed 180-degree turn and was navigating back toward the radio beacon. Environmental conditions roughly 20 minutes prior to the crash included light snow, a ceiling of 1,000 feet, and visibility limited to one mile.
The accident resulted in two fatalities among the crew, while all nine passengers sustained serious injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed several critical failures regarding both maintenance and operational procedures. The operator dispatched the flight for a scheduled instrument approach despite having unserviceable flight instruments on board. Furthermore, the company lacked sufficient maintenance protocols for the aircraft.
Operational errors were also noted, specifically that the pilot attempted an unauthorized instrument approach during weather conditions that fell below approved legal limits. Additionally, oversight from Transport Canada and internal company practices failed to maintain necessary standards for the maintenance and operation of this scheduled service.