Accident Summary
On 11 July 2019, at approximately 0852 Eastern Daylight Time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 Mk. I Beaver (registration C-FBBG, serial number 358) operated by Hawk Air departed from the Hawk Junction Water Aerodrome on Hawk Lake, Ontario. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and one passenger, was on a daytime visual flight rules charter flight to deliver supplies at an outpost camp on Oba Lake, about 35 nautical miles north-northeast of the departure point. The aircraft departed heading northeast. Shortly after takeoff, during the initial climb, just past the northeast end of Hawk Lake, the aircraft crashed in a steep nose-down attitude. It severed a power line immediately before impact and came to rest next to a hydro substation. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact, but there was no post-impact fire.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the aircraft likely departed with the fuel selector set to the rear tank position. This tank did not contain sufficient fuel for departure, causing the engine to lose power due to fuel starvation shortly after takeoff during the initial climb. After the loss of engine power at low altitude, a left turn was likely attempted to either return to Hawk Lake or head toward more suitable terrain for a forced landing. The aircraft then stalled aerodynamically, entered an incipient spin, and crashed.
Risk Findings
The investigation also identified several risk factors. If aircraft are not equipped with a stall warning system, pilots and passengers remain exposed to an elevated risk of injury or death from a stall at low altitude. Additionally, if air-taxi training requirements do not cover the various aircraft classes and operations in the sector, there is a risk that specific emergency procedures will not be required in training programs. If seasonal air operators conduct recurrent training at the end of the season rather than the beginning, pilots may be less familiar with emergency procedures. If operators do not tailor airborne training to address relevant emergency procedures, pilots may be unprepared in a real emergency. Finally, if pilots and passengers do not use available shoulder harnesses, the risk of injury in an accident increases.
Probable Cause
The probable cause, as determined by the investigation, is that the aircraft likely departed with the fuel selector set to the rear tank position, which did not contain sufficient fuel for departure. As a result, the engine lost power due to fuel starvation shortly after takeoff during the initial climb. After a loss of engine power at low altitude, a left turn was likely attempted in an effort to either return to the departure lake or head toward more desirable terrain for a forced landing. The aircraft stalled aerodynamically, entered an incipient spin, and subsequently crashed.