No fatalities

1989-10-26: De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter (C-GBJE) — Air Inuit — Kangiqsualujjuaq (Wakeham Bay), Canada

Kangiqsualujjuaq (Wakeham Bay), CanadaLanding (descent or approach)

On October 26, 1989, a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter (registration C-GBJE) operated by Air Inuit was involved in an aviation accident near Kangiqsualujjuaq (Wakeham Bay), Canada during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft veered off the runway due to the impact of heavy crosswinds during the landing roll. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781213547Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft veered off the runway and entered a ditch following touchdown, resulting in no injuries but significant damage to the plane.

What happened

During the landing phase of the flight, the aircraft experienced a loss of directional control immediately after making contact with the runway. Following the initial touchdown, the plane drifted from the paved surface and exited the runway area. The movement continued until the aircraft struck a ditch, where it eventually came to a stop.

Despite the impact with the terrain, all 13 occupants on board were able to evacuate the aircraft without injury. While there were no casualties, the incident resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss due to damage that was beyond repair.

Findings

Official investigations concluded that the primary factor leading to the excursion was the presence of strong crosswinds during the landing sequence, which prevented the crew from maintaining the centerline after touchdown.

Probable cause

The aircraft veered off the runway due to the impact of heavy crosswinds during the landing roll.