Flight Preparation and Departure
The aircraft arrived at Penticton Airport from Nanaimo, British Columbia, at 1232 Pacific daylight time. After landing, the aircraft was fueled with 184 litres of fuel, filling all three belly tanks. The rear portion of the cabin was observed to be loaded with luggage and cargo. The pilot, who was also the aircraft owner, planned a flight to Springbank Airport near Calgary, Alberta. He spent at least an hour on flight planning and spoke with the Kamloops Flight Information Centre by telephone. Due to airspace restrictions caused by forest fires, he had difficulty selecting a route. Ultimately, he chose a routing via Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon, Revelstoke, and Springbank. The aircraft departed Penticton at 1420 PDT with the pilot and two passengers on board.
Accident Sequence
Approximately seven minutes after takeoff, the aircraft crashed in a ravine of Penticton Creek, about 11 nautical miles northeast of Penticton Airport. A post-impact fire ensued and consumed most of the fuselage. The fire also ignited a small forest fire, which was observed by the crew of a firefighting aircraft. No radio calls were received from the aircraft. The three occupants were fatally injured.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that as the aircraft approached high terrain while climbing, the pilot, for reasons that could not be determined, did not turn away from the terrain. The aircraft struck tree tops and subsequently crashed. Additionally, the aircraft’s climb performance was negatively affected by density altitude and a relatively high aircraft weight, preventing it from clearing the high terrain ahead.
Other findings included that a licensed passenger on board had not informed the Transport Canada medical examiner about a diagnosis of coronary artery disease, posing a risk that she could pilot an aircraft while not medically fit. The aircraft was also operated at a weight higher than justified by the supplemental type certificate (STC) under which it was converted to an amphibian; some structural modifications required by the STC for the higher weight had not been carried out. It could not be determined who was piloting the aircraft at the time of the accident.