What happened
During daylight hours at approximately 12:45 CST, an aircraft was performing a series of stop-and-go landings on Runway 36 at an airport in La Ronge, Saskatchewan. While on the short final approach for its third landing attempt, the aircraft experienced a sudden high sink rate that nearly caused it to strike the ground before reaching the runway.
In an effort to correct the descent, the crew increased engine power. However, this action triggered the autofeather system, which caused the left engine to shut down and the left propeller to feather. Upon contacting the runway, the aircraft bounced, leading the crew to abort the landing. During the subsequent go-around attempt, the aircraft failed to reach the necessary airspeed to maintain flight or directional stability. The aircraft entered a descending turn to the left and impacted a wooded area located roughly one mile northwest of the airfield.
Findings
- The accident resulted in one fatality and two serious injuries among the crew.
- The aircraft suffered substantial damage during the impact.
- The primary factor in the loss of control was the unintended engine shutdown caused by the autofeather system responding to power application.