What happened
During an approach to Reef Island, an aircraft encountered challenging meteorological conditions characterized by snowfall and winds reaching 35 knots. As the flight progressed through marginal weather with visibility limited to approximately half a mile, the aircraft made contact with power cables. This impact led to a stall, causing the plane to crash into the Portland Canal.
The wreckage was discovered the following day. While the pilot was successfully evacuated from the site, the accident resulted in six fatalities among the passengers. The aircraft subsequently sank and is considered lost.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the pilot attempted to maintain a visual flight rules (VFR) descent despite the presence of adverse weather. It was concluded that the crew misjudged both the necessary altitude and the available clearance during the approach. Additional contributing elements included a low cloud ceiling, active snowfall, and significant wind conditions involving both updrafts and downdrafts.