What happened
A float-equipped Beechcraft C18S was operating a charter flight intended to transport eight workers from Nanaimo to Port Mellon. Shortly after departing from the Nanaimo-Cassidy seaplane base, the aircraft struggled to establish sufficient altitude. While flying at an elevation of approximately 16 metres, the twin-engine plane experienced lateral instability, rolling between left and right positions.
During this period of low-altitude flight in adverse weather, the aircraft transitioned into a 30-degree turn to the left. This maneuver caused the tip of the left wing to make contact with the water. The impact triggered a cartwheel motion that led to a crash and subsequent explosion. The aircraft then sank into the Strait of Georgia. Nearby fishermen reached the wreckage promptly and managed to rescue two passengers, both of whom sustained serious burns. The accident resulted in seven fatalities and two injuries.