Overview
A single-engine airplane on a chartered flight from Crossroads Lake, near the Churchill Falls reservoir, to Mistastin Lake in Labrador, Canada, experienced a delay before eventually crashing. The aircraft was transporting four fishermen and two guides, with a pilot, totaling seven occupants. The departure was originally scheduled for 0700 local time but was postponed to 1000 local time due to low ceiling conditions.
Flight Details
The aircraft was operated by a charter provider based at Crossroads Lake. After the delayed departure, the pilot failed to respond to multiple contact attempts over the course of the day. This prompted the search and rescue center in Trenton to be alerted, initiating a search operation.
Search and Rescue
Search and rescue efforts located the accident site four days after the flight began. At the site, four bodies were recovered, but the remains of the pilot and two passengers were not found. The wreckage of the aircraft also remained missing. The aircraft had been observed floating on Mistastin Lake before it sank.
Investigation and Probable Cause
According to official findings, the aircraft was seen floating in Mistastin Lake and later sank. To date, the wreckage has not been located. The area lacks low-altitude radar coverage, and the flight was operating in uncontrolled airspace without communication with air traffic services. Due to the absence of witnesses and critical pieces of the aircraft, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) was unable to conduct a comprehensive investigation. The TSB stated that if the wreckage is discovered in the future, a reassessment of the feasibility of a full investigation will be considered.