Panarctic Flight 416: Lockheed L-188 Crash at Rea Point (CF-PAB)

Flight Details and Approach Sequence On 29 October 1974, a Lockheed L-188 with registration CF-PAB, operating as Panarctic Flight 416, departed Calgary International Airport at 18:05. The aircraft completed a routine positioning flight to Edmonton, where it was loaded with 20,000 lb of baggage and freight and 21,000 lb of Jet B fuel. After a crew change, the aircraft departed Edmonton at 20:04 with 30 passengers and four crew members on board, bound for Rea Point. The flight proceeded uneventfully until the final approach, when the aircraft was cleared for a straight-in VOR/DME approach to runway 33. ## Final Approach and Impact During the descent, the crew experienced light turbulence and glare from external lights. The pilot-in-command (PIC) and co-pilot set their radio altimeters to 300 ft and 450 ft, respectively. At 300 ft radio altitude, the co-pilot reported visual contact with an ice ridge. The PIC then retarded the throttles and pushed forward on the control column, causing a rapid descent of 1,700 to 2,000 ft per minute. Despite calls from the co-pilot and flight engineer, the PIC did not respond. The aircraft impacted the ice surface, and the cockpit section broke away, sliding 900 ft before coming to rest. The flight engineer and co-pilot escaped the sinking cockpit section. ## Official Findings The investigation determined that the approach was continued below the company-approved minimum descent altitude. The PIC's inappropriate reaction to a visual cue and partial incapacitation contributed to the failure to recover from the high rate of descent. Additionally, crew coordination was inadequate, and no company Flight Operations Manual was available to prescribe crew duties. The operation was classified as private, and the aerodrome's emergency response procedures were found to be inadequate.