No fatalities

Twin-engine aircraft crash-lands in Saint Lawrence River after fuel exhaustion (CF-BBC)

Mont-Joli, CanadaFlight

On December 23, 1946, a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide (registration CF-BBC) operated by Canadian Pacific Airlines - CP Air was involved in an aviation accident near Mont-Joli, Canada in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Double engine failure caused by fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine aircraft suffered a double engine failure enroute and crash-landed on the icy Saint Lawrence River near Mont-Joli, Quebec. All seven occupants were rescued, but the airframe sank and was lost.

What happened

During an enroute phase of flight, the pilot encountered a critical mechanical issue resulting in a double engine failure. With no power remaining, the crew was compelled to execute an emergency landing on the water. The aircraft impacted the surface of the Saint Lawrence River off the coast of Mont-Joli, Quebec, where it crash-landed on the ice.

Despite the severity of the impact and the subsequent sinking of the airframe through the ice, all seven occupants were successfully rescued from the water. The aircraft itself was not recovered and is considered lost.

Findings

The official investigation determined that the immediate cause of the incident was the loss of power in both engines. This failure was attributed to fuel exhaustion, which rendered the aircraft unable to maintain flight or reach a suitable runway.

Probable cause

Double engine failure caused by fuel exhaustion.