What happened
On a flight operating out of the Harbour Air base in Sandspit, British Columbia, a DHC-2 Beaver was performing a scheduled transport of baggage and supplies. The initial leg of the day's operations involved moving items from Sandspit Airport to a floating fishing resort situated in Givenchy Bay, located within the Kano Inlet. The aircraft departed Sandspit under visual flight rules at 10:15 PDT, carrying the pilot and one passenger.
After arriving at the resort at 10:39, the aircraft was loaded with fish for the return journey. During the outbound flight, the pilot had notified company dispatch via radio that weather conditions were unfavorable along the direct route over Yakoun Lake, and he intended to use the Skidegate Channel for the return trip. The aircraft departed the Givenchy resort at 10:51.
When the flight failed to arrive at Sandspit as scheduled, a search operation was initiated. The wreckage was discovered at 12:45 near Hunter Point, approximately 7 nautical miles from Givenchy Bay. The impact occurred during daylight hours, around 11:00. The accident resulted in two fatalities, as both the pilot and the passenger were killed upon impact, and the aircraft was completely destroyed.
Findings
- The pilot had previously reported poor weather conditions along the direct flight path prior to the return leg.