What happened
On the morning of the accident, the pilot prepared a ski-equipped de Haviliand DHC–3 (Otter), registration C–GOFF, for a flight to a remote destination. The aircraft, which featured a turbine engine, was loaded with supplies, camping equipment, and a snowmobile for two passengers. After waiting for weather conditions to clear, the flight departed the airstrip heading east at approximately 1200 EST.
Shortly after the aircraft became airborne, the right wing made contact with birch tree tops and small bushes. This impact caused the aircraft to descend sharply in a nose-down, right-wing-low orientation. The plane struck the surface of a frozen lake, which sat roughly 70 feet below the elevation of the airfield. Upon impact, the aircraft flipped onto its back and became partially submerged in the ice, leaving only the rear portion of the fuselage visible above the surface.
All occupants were secured with lap belts at the time of the crash. The pilot and the passenger in the front seat sustained fatal injuries. The passenger seated in the rear survived the impact but suffered leg injuries that hindered their escape. A search conducted by a local air operator approximately 22 hours later successfully located and rescued the sole survivor.
Findings
- The aircraft's right wing struck vegetation immediately following takeoff, leading to the loss of control and subsequent impact with the lake surface.