What happened
On a flight traveling from Lac des Quatre toward Lac Margane, Quebec, a float-equipped de Havilland Beaver DHC-2 Mk.I, registered as C-GAXL, encountered severe weather conditions shortly after departure. The aircraft was operating under visual flight rules with one pilot and five passengers on board. During the flight, the pilot communicated an intention to perform a precautionary landing due to deteriorating weather.
At approximately 11:17 EDT, the aircraft struck a mountain located roughly 12 nautical miles west-southwest of the southern region of Lac Péribonka. The impact caused the destruction of the airframe and triggered a post-crash fire. The accident resulted in 4 fatalities (the pilot and three passengers) and two survivors, one of whom sustained serious injuries and another who suffered minor injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors. The primary cause was that the pilot operated the aircraft in weather conditions that fell below the minimum requirements for visual flight rules. While attempting a precautionary landing, the pilot entered instrument meteorological conditions, which led to controlled flight into terrain due to a loss of visual references.
Additional safety concerns were noted regarding the seating configuration, as a passenger in the rear was not in a seat that met aeronautical standards; this individual was ejected during the impact. Furthermore, the lack of an emergency locator transmitter signal and a delay in the operator's notification meant that search operations did not begin until over three and a half hours after the event.