What happened
During a mission to survey forest fires, a single-engine airplane was traveling from Lac-à-l’Eau-Claire toward Poste-de-la-Baleine (Kuujjuarapik). While operating at a low altitude, the right float of the aircraft made contact with the tops of trees. In an effort to correct the flight path, the pilot initiated a maneuver that caused the plane to bank to the left. This movement led to a descent into the forest canopy, where the aircraft struck trees and subsequently caught fire.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were two fatalities among the occupants of the plane.
Findings
Investigators were unable to establish a definitive cause for the accident because the wreckage was completely destroyed. However, several critical details were noted during the investigation:
- Analysis of the propeller blades indicated that the engine was operating at high RPM during the collision.
- The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) failed to activate following the crash due to a battery pack that had exceeded its expiration date by two years.