What happened
On a scheduled flight from Sioux Lookout to Big Trout Lake, Ontario, the crew of C-GYQT, a Beechcraft A100, encountered deteriorating visibility during their approach. The flight, operating as Bearskin 324, departed with two crew members and nine passengers. While approaching the airport, the crew observed another aircraft completing an approach and decided to fly under visual flight rules to maintain separation. During the descent, the captain began reviewing company approach procedures in a binder to prepare for a potential transition to instrument flight due to worsening conditions.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the captain's attention was diverted by the binder. Radar data from Big Trout Lake indicated that the aircraft descended to approximately 150 feet above ground level while 4.5 miles from the runway. Shortly before the impact, the aircraft was descending at a rate exceeding 1,200 feet per minute. The aircraft struck the frozen surface of the lake, bounced, and subsequently crashed approximately 3/4 of a mile further along the lake surface. While there were no fatalities, the crew and several passengers suffered serious injuries, with some survivors experiencing hypothermia before being rescued.
Findings
Radar analysis showed the aircraft maintained a low altitude of 200 to 300 feet above ground level for roughly 50 seconds prior to the initial impact. The investigation noted that the captain was reviewing approach charts in a binder held on his lap at the time of the descent. The captain's focus on the approach binder contributed to the loss of altitude awareness during the descent.