No fatalities

Aircraft Skids and Suffers Total Loss During Landing on Frozen Ground (G-CAOP)

Fort Frances, CanadaLanding (descent or approach)

On October 26, 1930, a Curtiss HS-2L (registration G-CAOP) operated by Provincial Air Service of Lands & Forests was involved in an aviation accident near Fort Frances, Canada during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft skidded due to insufficient traction on a frozen ground surface during landing. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft sustained irreparable damage after skidding during a landing on frozen terrain, resulting in no injuries to the occupants.

What happened

During a landing operation onto a frozen ground surface, the aircraft experienced a loss of directional control. The airframe began to skid across the icy terrain, generating significant friction and impact forces that compromised the structural integrity of the machine. The resulting damage was assessed as being beyond repair, rendering the aircraft a total loss.

Findings

The incident resulted in no casualties. All individuals on board escaped without injury despite the severity of the airframe damage. The primary contributing factor identified was the interaction between the landing gear and the low-friction frozen surface, which prevented effective braking and steering control during the rollout phase.

Probable cause

The aircraft skidded due to insufficient traction on a frozen ground surface during landing.