What happened
On a recent afternoon, a de Havilland DHC-2 floatplane, identified by serial number 841, departed from Hotnarko Lake in British Columbia. The aircraft was carrying a total of seven people, including the pilot and six passengers, along with various fishing supplies.
Shortly after the departure, the pilot initiated a turn to the left. During this maneuver, the aircraft experienced an uncommanded roll to the left, reaching a bank angle of approximately 40 degrees, which caused the nose to pitch downward. Despite efforts by the pilot to regain control through manual inputs, the aircraft continued a diving turn toward the treeline at the edge of the lake.
While the aircraft began to level its attitude and the nose started to rise, the plane struck the surface of the lake before the pilot could stabilize the flight path. The impact caused the airframe to break into pieces, and the wreckage subsequently sank.
Findings
Of the seven individuals on board, the pilot and four passengers were able to exit the wreckage. However, the accident resulted in three fatalities. One passenger drowned after slipping beneath the water's surface while attempting to swim to the shore. Two other passengers remained trapped inside the submerged aircraft, one of whom was still restrained by a seat belt, and both subsequently lost their lives. The remaining survivors successfully reached the shoreline.