Accident Overview
A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver seaplane, registration C-FNFO, serial number 819, departed from Kakabikitchiwan Lake, Ontario, on a visual flight rules flight to Aremis Lake. The pilot was the sole occupant.
Sequence of Events
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was observed flying northbound at very low altitude above Sabaskong Bay with the engine operating at a high power setting. The aircraft then began to climb and bank to the left. During this maneuver, the right wing struck the lower of two electrical wires strung across a channel between two islands. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation identified two causes and contributing factors. First, the power line running overhead the channel was invisible except at very short range and was not marked to indicate its presence. Second, the pilot was flying at a very low altitude and likely did not see the power line.
Additionally, a risk finding noted that the Standards Obstruction Markings Manual allows discretion in deciding whether to assess obstructions, making it possible for some obstructions to not be assessed and consequently not marked.