Accident Details
On 12 July 2019, at approximately 1000 local time, a privately operated de Havilland DHC-2 Mk. 1 Beaver floatplane (registration C-GRHF, serial number 1123) departed from St-Mathias Water Aerodrome (CSV9) in Quebec. The aircraft was flown by a single pilot under visual flight rules (VFR). The first leg of the flight ended at approximately 1130 on Désert Lake in La Minerve, Quebec, where the aircraft came alongside a private dock. Three individuals were waiting there to board for a flight to a fishing lodge. After baggage was stowed and the pilot provided a safety briefing, all passengers were wearing personal flotation devices. The aircraft took off from Désert Lake at around 1215, bound for Barrage Gouin Water Aerodrome (CTP3) for refuelling. Landing occurred at approximately 1430. After refuelling, the aircraft departed again around 1528, heading northwest to Weakwaten Lake, Quebec, where the fishing lodge was located.
Collision and Rescue
After approximately 48 minutes of flight, at about 1616, the aircraft collided with trees and struck the ground. There was no post-impact fire. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated upon impact and began transmitting on 121.5 MHz. The signal was detected at 1705 by the flight crew of a commercial airliner, who reported it to air traffic services. At 1850, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Trenton dispatched a CC130 Hercules aircraft to locate the distress signal. The accident aircraft was found at 2032 in a densely wooded area. Two search and rescue technicians were parachuted to the site to assist the occupants. Three of the four occupants received fatal injuries. The survivor was evacuated and transported to a hospital in Chibougamau, Quebec.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be controlled flight into terrain following the pilot's decision to continue the flight at a relatively low speed and in a nose-up attitude, which reduced his field of vision.