Accident Details
On 18 May 2004, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, registration C-GQHT, departed the Pickerel Arm Camps water base in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, at approximately 1700 eastern daylight time. The flight was destined for Fawcett Lake, a remote fishing lodge. On board were one pilot and three guests. The aircraft was operating under day visual flight rules. When the second aircraft arrived at Fawcett Lake around 1930, the first group had not arrived. The guests later found the accident aircraft overturned in the lake. Ontario Provincial Police divers recovered the bodies of the pilot and three passengers. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; no fire occurred.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the pilot flew a high-drag approach configuration for which his proficiency was not established. It is likely that the pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease to the point where the aircraft stalled on approach at an altitude from which recovery was unlikely. The impact was non-survivable due to high impact forces. Additionally, the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) antenna was broken, though the flight was within the 30-day regulatory grace period. The pilot had not secured the cargo, which shifted forward on impact. The weight and centre of gravity were not recorded on the flight plan and could only be estimated.