What happened
On a scheduled cargo flight from Cranbrook, British Columbia, to Calgary, Alberta, a Cessna 414A operated by Alta Flights vanished from radar tracking. The aircraft, registered as C-GVZE, was flying under visual flight rules when it disappeared from radar screens at approximately 1936 MDT. At the time of its disappearance, the aircraft was positioned near the Highwood Range mountains, roughly 49 nautical miles southwest of Calgary, at an altitude of 9000 feet.
Following a search, wreckage was located on a mountain ridge at an elevation of 8900 feet approximately 40 hours after the disappearance. The investigation determined that the aircraft was in a controlled descent toward its destination when it struck the terrain. The collision resulted in a total breakup of the airframe and a brief fireball. The pilot, who was the only person on board, sustained fatal injuries during the impact.
Findings
Data from the flight indicates the aircraft was maintaining a controlled descent during the final stages of the flight before the impact occurred.