Departure and Flight Plan
The twin-engine airplane departed Edmonton Industrial Airport at 0730LT on an instrument flight plan to Dawson Creek, carrying engineers and employees from the Western Construction & Lumber Company en route to Chetwynd for a mining prospecting program.
Flight to Dawson Creek
The flight continued without incident to Dawson Creek. After receiving descent clearance and becoming clear of cloud, the pilot refiled a VFR flight plan to Chetwynd, British Columbia.
Search and Discovery
When the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination, an air-ground search was initiated. Search aircraft picked up signals from a crash position indicator and located the accident scene on the south slope of Mount Wartenbe, approximately 10 miles east-southeast of its destination airstrip.
Impact Details
The aircraft had struck trees at the 3,800 feet elevation, approximately 200 feet below the apex of the mountain ridge. The aircraft was in a shallow descending turn to the right heading in an easterly direction at comparatively high airspeed at the time of impact.
Occupants and Injuries
All six occupants were killed.
Official Findings
Probable cause (official findings): The pilot attempted to maintain visual flight in poor weather conditions in close proximity of hazardous terrain. It appeared that after the pilot cancelled IFR at Dawson Creek, he was planning to maintain visual flight to his new destination, and did not take into account the close proximity of Wartenbe mountain. The investigation was unable to determine the exact flight path or circumstances surrounding the flight just before the crash. Aeromedical studies indicated that the pilot had an acute awareness of mortal danger for 10-15 seconds before impact.