What happened
A charter flight operating from Chibougamau was en route to Camp Placer, located approximately 206 miles to the northeast. The aircraft, a de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, was carrying five people at the time of the incident. The intended destination was a temporary sand runway situated on an esker, measuring 2,200 feet in length and 100 feet in width, flanked by steep thirty-degree slopes.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft encountered wind speeds of twenty knots. As the tail wheel made contact with the surface, the aircraft veered toward the direction of the wind. This maneuver caused the plane to depart from the runway and descend into the bottom of the esker. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft, though no fatalities were reported among the five occupants.
Findings
Investigation into the accident revealed that the prevailing wind conditions were a primary factor. Specifically, the recorded wind speed of twenty knots exceeded the seven-knot crosswind limit specified in the aircraft's operating manual for such environments.