What happened
During an emergency medical transport mission, a single-engine aircraft was transporting a patient on a stretcher along with the pilot. While navigating toward Port Hardy, the flight crew encountered worsening meteorological conditions characterized by dense fog and low cloud ceilings. In response to the deteriorating visibility, the pilot lowered the aircraft's altitude to attempt a landing.
During the landing process on the water, the aircraft encountered rough surface conditions. As the plane moved along the water, liquid entered the nose compartments of the floats. This caused the aircraft to lose stability and ultimately nosed over into an inverted position.
Findings
- The incident resulted in one fatality and one survivor.
- The patient succumbed to drowning while still secured to the stretcher.
- The pilot survived the accident.
- Water ingress into the float compartments led to the aircraft capsizing during taxiing.