What happened
During an annual caribou hunting mission operating out of Schefferville, two float-equipped aircraft were flying toward the same seaplane base at Squaw Lake. The first aircraft, a Cessna 180 with registration C-FHWR, was traveling on a course that intersected with a second aircraft, an Otter. As the two planes approached the destination, the Cessna 180 passed the Otter on its right side before crossing ahead to begin a right-hand landing circuit.
While the pilot of the Cessna 180 communicated his intent to land, the pilot of the Otter misperceived the destination as a different bay located in front of the company's base. After the Cessna 180 moved out of sight, the Otter pilot focused on his own approach to the lake. However, because the Cessna 180 had turned right to follow its circuit, the two aircraft were once again on converging paths toward the same landing zone.
Shortly after the Cessna 180 had completed its touchdown, the left float of the Otter collided with the cowling and right wing of the Cessna 180. The impact caused the Otter to travel an additional 200 feet before it overturned and sank due to a collapsed left float and strut. The collision resulted in five fatalities among the eight occupants on the Otter. The pilot and passengers on the Cessna 180 were uninjured, though the aircraft sustained damage to its wing and cowling.
Findings
The pilot of the Cessna 180 observed the Otter during the final approach but mistakenly believed the other plane was flying a parallel course. Conversely, the pilot of the Otter failed to observe the Cessna 180 at any point during the approach sequence.