What happened
A private flight involving a de Havilland DHC-2 MK 1 amphibious floatplane, registered as C-GCZA, was traveling from Okanagan Lake toward Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, under visual flight rules. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and two passengers at the time of the accident.
During the flight, the aircraft encountered trees and collided with the ground at an elevation approximately 100 feet below the level of Highway 97C, in the vicinity of the Brenda Mines tailings hill. Following the impact, an emergency-locator-transmitter signal on the 406-megahertz frequency was briefly detected at 1850 Pacific Daylight Time, though the signal did not provide a specific location for the wreckage. A fire broke out after the collision and destroyed much of the airframe. All 3 fatalities occurred as a result of the crash.
Findings
Investigation details regarding the specific mechanical or operational failures are not provided, but the impact with terrain and trees was the primary event leading to the destruction of the aircraft and the loss of all occupants.