What happened
On 12 July 2019, a de Havillance DHC-2 Mk. 1 Beaver floatplane, registered as C-GRHF, began a series of visual flight rules operations from the St-Mathias Water Aerodrome in Quebec. The pilot initially departed alone at approximately 1000LT. The aircraft subsequently arrived at Désert Lake in La Minerve around 1130, where three passengers were waiting to travel to a fishing lodge. After loading baggage and conducting a safety briefing, the aircraft departed Désert Lake at 1215 for a refueling stop at Barrage Gouin Water Aerodrome.
Following the completion of refueling, the aircraft departed again at approximately 1528, traveling northwest toward Weakwaten Lake. During the flight, at roughly 1616, the aircraft collided with trees and struck the ground in a heavily forested region. Although no fire occurred after the impact, the force of the crash activated the emergency locator transmitter. The distress signal was intercepted by the crew of a commercial airliner at 1705 and relayed to air traffic services.
A CC130 Hercules aircraft was deployed by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton later that evening. Search and rescue technicians reached the wreckage via parachute at 2032. Of the four people on board, three fatalities were recorded, while one survivor was rescued and flown to a hospital in Chibougamau.