On February 25, 1976, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration C-FRJG) operated by West Coast Air Services was involved in an aviation accident near Ucluelet, Canada during landing or approach. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck the water while the crew was attempting to avoid a channel marker in low visibility. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft struck the water following an attempt to avoid an obstacle, resulting in one drowning death and three survivors.
What happened
During a period of limited visibility, the aircraft performed an evasive maneuver to avoid hitting a cement channel marker. During this sequence, the plane veered toward the left before sliding to the right and ultimately making contact with the water's surface.
Following the impact, there were four people on board the aircraft. One passenger succumbed to drowning during the incident. The remaining three occupants of the aircraft were successfully rescued from the scene.
Findings
The accident occurred under conditions of reduced visibility.
The pilot attempted to avoid a fixed obstacle (a cement channel marker).
The sequence of events involved a leftward swerve followed by a rightward skid into the water.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck the water while the crew was attempting to avoid a channel marker in low visibility.