What happened
A scheduled flight operated from Vancouver to Powell River, including a stop in Sechelt, ended in an accident during the final approach phase. After an unremarkable initial leg to Sechelt, the twin engine airplane was flying at approximately 200 feet while approaching Porpoise Bay. During this descent, the aircraft experienced a sudden 90-degree roll to the right and subsequently nosed downward. The plane impacted the eastern shore of the bay, coming to rest roughly 50 meters from the shoreline. The accident resulted in two fatalities, including the pilot, and left 14 injuries among the other occupants, with four individuals sustaining serious harm.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that a mechanical failure in the flight control system led to the loss of control. Specifically, the right-hand aileron control rod disconnected from its bellcrank end fitting because of an extensive stress corrosion crack. This disconnection caused the right aileron to move into an upward position, creating asymmetric lift across the wings. The resulting roll was uncontrollable at such a low altitude. While previous airworthiness directives had addressed similar corrosion issues in flap control rods for this aircraft type, the inspection protocols were not sufficient to identify the stress corrosion cracking present in the aileron control rods.