What happened
On a scheduled passenger service from Fort Hope Airport to Webequie Airport, a Beech 99 operated by Bearskin experienced a hard landing. During the approach phase, the flight crew utilized GPS, ADF, and visual references to navigate toward the runway. Approximately three miles from the threshold, the crew deployed the landing gear and configured the aircraft with full flaps.
As the aircraft reached roughly 50 feet above the ground, the captain began the flare maneuver. While the nose of the plane was raised, the descent rate remained too high, causing the aircraft to strike the runway surface. At the time of the incident, surface winds were light from the northwest, though much stronger easterly winds were present at higher altitudes. Following the impact, the crew inspected the aircraft at the terminal building and requested a maintenance evaluation.
Findings
Post-landing inspections identified substantial structural damage to the Beelet 99. Specifically, the left wing spar was found to be broken, the skin on the left wing showed wrinkling, and the left engine was noted to be drooping. Residual ice was observed on the tail and wings during the landing. There were no injuries recorded following the event.