What happened
On the day of the accident, a De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter was operating a flight from its home base in Fort Smith toward Salkeld Lake in the Northwest Territories. During the approach, the pilot intended to land at a specific location near the far end of the lake. However, the aircraft overshot the intended landing zone.
In an effort to recover the flight via a go-around maneuver, the pilot attempted to climb away from the surface. During this phase, the aircraft struck trees and subsequently caught fire. The impact resulted in two serious injuries for the occupants of the plane.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident. The aircraft was operating at a weight that exceeded its maximum allowable limit by 500 pounds. Additionally, the flight was hampered by a prevailing tailwind during the landing attempt. Ultimately, the combination of being overweight and the wind conditions meant the aircraft could not achieve sufficient climb performance to clear the rising terrain ahead.