What happened
On a scheduled cargo flight to deliver building materials, a Douglas DC-3 departed from Points North Landing, Saskatchewan, heading toward Ennadai Lake, Nunavut. The aircraft was carrying 6,600 pounds of cargo and was operated by a crew consisting of two pilots. The flight was part of an ongoing series of repositioning missions for lodge construction.
The destination was an ice strip situated on a lake, measuring approximately 2,700 feet in length and 150 feet in width. The runway was marked by small evergreen trees and featured a cleared surface free of snow ridges. During the approach from the northeast, the aircraft touched down near the midpoint of the runway. Witnesses observed that the tail remained elevated and the aircraft appeared to accelerate immediately, with the main landing gear retracting.
As the aircraft reached the far end of the runway, it suddenly transitioned into a steep, nose-up pitch and banked sharply to the left. The aircraft then descended toward the ice, with the left wing making initial contact with the surface. The plane subsequently rotated around the left wing and struck the ice in a nose-down orientation approximately 400 feet before the end of the strip. The impact resulted in two fatalities among the crew, with no fire reported at the scene. Canadian Forces rescue teams were deployed to the location via air-drop on the day of the incident.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced an abrupt change in attitude, characterized by a steep nose-up pitch and a sharp left bank, immediately following the runway end.