Accident Overview
A charter flight departed Pickle Lake, Ontario, bound for Summer Beaver, Ontario, carrying seven passengers and one crew member. The flight operated under night visual flight conditions at an altitude of 3,500 feet above sea level. Approaching Summer Beaver, the aircraft entered the traffic pattern on a downwind leg for a landing on Runway 17.
Search and Rescue
When the aircraft failed to land, personnel at Summer Beaver contacted the Pickle Lake flight dispatch to inquire about the flight. After an unsuccessful radio search by dispatch staff, the aircraft was declared missing. Search and rescue personnel later located the wreckage in a wooded area approximately three nautical miles northwest of Summer Beaver. The aircraft had been largely consumed by a post-crash fire. All eight individuals on board sustained fatal injuries.
Official Findings
The official investigation determined that the aircraft departed controlled flight and struck terrain for undetermined reasons. The investigation also identified that the company's flight-following procedures for operations in remote areas were impractical and inconsistently applied, which could delay search and rescue efforts. Additionally, the aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders. The lack of information about the accident's cause hindered the ability to identify related safety deficiencies and issue preventive safety communications.