Accident Details
At 0708 Pacific daylight time, a Pacific Coastal Airlines Grumman G-21A amphibian (registration C-GPCD, serial number B76) departed Port Hardy Airport, British Columbia, on a visual flight rules charter flight to Chamiss Bay. The aircraft carried seven occupants: a pilot and six passengers. At 0849 and again at 0908, the company's flight follower attempted to contact the tugboat that was scheduled to meet the aircraft at Chamiss Bay via radiotelephone, but was unsuccessful. At 0953, the flight follower reported the aircraft overdue to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria, British Columbia, prompting an aerial search.
A search and rescue aircraft located the wreckage on a hillside near Alice Lake, approximately 14 nautical miles from Port Hardy. A post-crash fire had ignited. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was destroyed in the crash and did not transmit. The accident occurred at about 0722. Of the seven occupants, the pilot and four passengers were fatally injured, one passenger suffered serious injuries, and another sustained minor injuries. The two survivors were evacuated from the accident site at approximately 1610.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that while likely climbing to fly above a cloud-covered ridge and below the overcast ceiling, the aircraft stalled aerodynamically at a height from which full recovery could not be made before striking the trees. The aircraft broke apart upon impact, and electrical arcing from exposed wires in the presence of spilled fuel caused a fire that consumed most of the aircraft.
Additional Findings
The company's established communications procedures and infrastructure met regulatory requirements but were not effective in ascertaining the aircraft's position and flight progress, delaying critical search and rescue action. The destruction of the ELT in the crash made it difficult for search and rescue teams to locate the aircraft, prolonging the time injured survivors had to wait for rescue and medical attention.