What happened
During a scheduled charter operation for a mining company, an aircraft was traveling from Sturdee Valley toward Smithers when it encountered severe weather. While navigating at a low altitude over Thutade Lake, the aircraft's wing made contact with the frozen surface of the lake, resulting in a crash.
The flight was being conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at the time of the accident. The environmental conditions were characterized by heavy snowfall, which significantly impacted visibility and flight operations.
Of the seven people on board, six fatalities were recorded. One passenger was successfully rescued from the wreckage following the impact.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in heavy snow conditions while attempting to maintain VFR flight.
- The impact was caused by the wing striking the iced surface of the lake during low-altitude flight.