What happened
On an unnamed date, an Air Ontario flight operating as flight 937 departed from Red Lake Airport, ON (YRL), bound for Pikangikum Airport, ON (YPM). The Douglas DC-3C was transporting a significant cargo load, specifically a rubberized bladder tank holding 2,068 litres of fuel oil.
As the aircraft approached its destination, weather conditions at Pikangikum Airport were characterized by fog, low clouds, and drizzle, with visibility ranging between one and two miles. During the approach to runway 27, the aircraft was observed flying over the airport before maneuvering over Pikangikum Lake. While positioned over the water, the plane experienced a stall and impacted the ice-covered surface approximately 180 feet south of a forested island. The impact occurred in an area where the ice thickness measured between one and three inches. Following the initial collision, the aircraft broke through the ice and settled on the lakebed at a depth of roughly 8 to 12 feet. The crash resulted in two fatalities, as both the pilot and the co-pilot were killed.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the aircraft stalled at an altitude and under flight conditions that prevented the crew from successfully recovering the plane.