What happened
On a scheduled cargo flight from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, to Yellowknife, a Douglas C-54G-DC operated by Buffalo Airways Limited encountered significant technical difficulties. Shortly after departing at 1749 mountain standard time, the aircraft was climbing through roughly 3500 feet when the number 2 engine failed, triggering a fire within the nacelle. The crew of four attempted to manage the emergency by following the Engine Fire Checklist, which involved feathering the propeller and discharging fire suppression bottles, but the flames persisted.
During the emergency procedures, the aircraft experienced further complications, including the landing gear extending without command and the number 1 propeller feathering unexpectedly. While the crew initially prepared for an emergency landing in an off-field location, the fire went out after the fuel selector was turned off during the execution of the Engine Securing Checklist. Following this, the crew opted to divert back to their origin. The aircraft, registration C-GXKN, landed safely at Norman Wells Airport at 1804 mountain standard time. Although the aircraft suffered substantial fire damage, there were no injuries reported among the crew.
Findings
- The primary emergency was initiated by a failure of the number 2 engine and a subsequent nacelle fire.
- The aircraft experienced uncommanded mechanical actions, specifically the extension of the main landing gear and the feathering of the number 1 propeller.
- The fire was eventually extinguished following the manual shutdown of the fuel supply during the engine securing process.