On August 2, 2003, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration C-GUXW) operated by Harvey Christiansen was involved in an aviation accident near Sully Lake, Canada during landing or approach. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A cracked cylinder resulted in a loss of engine power, and the pilot attempted a force landing on a small lake. The altitude at which the event began may have given the pilot very little time to successfully complete a forced landing. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A single-engine aircraft departing Pelican Narrows lost engine power while approaching Sully Lake and crashed. The pilot was killed; both passengers were seriously injured and rescued the next day.
Accident Details
A single-engine aircraft departed from Pelican Narrows carrying a pilot and two passengers. While approaching Sully Lake, the engine lost power. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude and crashed into Sully Lake.
Casualties and Rescue
Both passengers exited the cabin and sustained serious injuries. The pilot was killed in the accident. The survivors spent a night on the shore before being rescued and evacuated to a hospital the following day.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that a cracked cylinder resulted in a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a small lake. The altitude at which the event began may have given the pilot very little time to successfully complete the forced landing.