On June 19, 1991, a Canadair CL-215 (registration C-GFQA) operated by Transport Canada was involved in an aviation accident near Chute des Passes, Canada in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck treetops while flying at a low altitude during a firefighting mission, leading to a roll and subsequent crash. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A firefighting mission ended in tragedy when a tanker aircraft struck treetops and crashed in a wooded area, resulting in two fatalities.
What happened
During a low-altitude mission intended for firefighting operations, the aircraft identified as Quebec 236 encountered heavy vegetation. While operating at a low height, the Tanker 236 (an aircraft type of Tanker) made contact with the tops of trees. Following this impact, the aircraft underwent a right-hand roll before descending into a wooded region.
There were 2 fatalities resulting from the accident, as both the pilot and the copilot were killed in the crash. The incident occurred during the operational phase of the flight while the crew was actively engaged in firefighting duties.
Findings
The aircraft struck tree tops during low-altitude flight.
The impact caused the aircraft to roll to the right.
The crash occurred within a wooded area during a firefighting mission.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck treetops while flying at a low altitude during a firefighting mission, leading to a roll and subsequent crash.