What happened
On 23 January 2013, a flight operated for repositioning purposes departed from South Pole Station, Antarctica, at 0523 UTC. The mission was intended to be a visual flight rules flight to Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. The aircraft, a C-GKBC, was carrying a crew of 3 individuals.
Communication was lost when the flight failed to complete its scheduled radio check-in at 0827. Following the missed communication, the flight was officially classified as overdue. An emergency locator transmitter signal was subsequently identified in the area of Mount Elizabeth, Antarctica, prompting the launch of search and rescue operations.
Severe weather conditions significantly obstructed the rescue efforts, making the crash site inaccessible to teams for a period of two days. Upon reaching the location, investigators confirmed that the C-GKBC had struck the terrain. The impact resulted in 3 fatalities.
Findings
Due to the extreme environment, the high altitude of the site, and the physical state of the wreckage, a full investigation of the aircraft and the recovery of the crew members could not be completed. Observations of the visible wreckage showed no evidence of fire. The accident took place during daylight hours.