Flight History
The Cessna 402 departed from Auburn, Indiana, USA, around 0630 local time (1130 UTC) en route to Schefferville, Quebec, with intermediate stops. The final leg originated from Montreal International (Dorval) to Schefferville, with Wabush, Newfoundland, as the alternate airport. Takeoff from Montreal occurred at 1523 Eastern Daylight Time (1923 UTC). The flight was conducted under instrument flight rules (IFR).
Accident Sequence
While cruising west of Wabush, the pilot requested weather conditions for Schefferville and Wabush. Due to poor conditions at Schefferville, the pilot decided to proceed to the alternate, Wabush. During an instrument landing system (ILS) approach for runway 01, the aircraft was too high to complete the approach. The pilot requested and received clearance to execute another approach.
During the missed approach, the pilot proceeded an unknown distance outbound and turned back toward the airport. On the inbound leg, the aircraft struck trees on the side of a mountain at an indicated altitude of 2,460 feet above sea level. The aircraft decelerated over approximately 900 feet and came to rest 23 nautical miles north of the airport, on the extended centerline of runway 01, on a magnetic heading of 186 degrees. The crash occurred during the hours of darkness, probably just after 1907 Atlantic Daylight Time (2207 UTC). All five occupants sustained injuries.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the pilot did not follow the published missed approach procedure, particularly regarding minimum altitudes, leading to the aircraft making contact with the mountain.