No fatalities

Four-Engine Aircraft Crash Landing at Spence Bay Airstrip (C-FJRW)

Spence Bay, CanadaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 2, 1981, a Douglas DC-4 (registration C-FJRW) operated by Aero Trades (Western) was involved in an aviation accident near Spence Bay, Canada during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A four-engine aircraft struck the ground short of the runway threshold at Spence Bay Airstrip, tearing off part of the left wing and main gear. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries.

Incident Overview and Location Details During a final approach to Spence Bay Airstrip, a four-engine aircraft encountered a serious incident. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 50 feet short of the runway threshold. At the point of impact, the aircraft was positioned about four feet below the established elevation of the runway. The specific aircraft type, registration, operator, and exact date of the event are not provided in the available source material. ## Damage and Outcome The impact caused significant structural damage to the aircraft. The left main landing gear and a portion of the left wing were partially torn off. Following the initial ground contact, the aircraft crash-landed and eventually came to rest. Despite the severity of the damage, all three crew members on board were able to escape the aircraft. Each of the three individuals sustained only minor injuries in the incident.