No fatalities

Seaplane stall and water impact near Sudbury (G-CAOO)

Ramsey Lake (Sudbury), CanadaTakeoff (climb)

On July 21, 1926, a Loening 23 Air Yacht (registration G-CAOO) operated by Provincial Air Service of Lands & Forests was involved in an aviation accident near Ramsey Lake (Sudbury), Canada during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft stalled and crashed because it lacked sufficient speed after taking off from the lake. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A seaplane stalled during initial climb after departing Ramsey Lake in Sudbury, resulting in a water crash. All five occupants were rescued, though the aircraft was destroyed.

What happened

The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft departed from Ramsey Lake in Sudbury. While executing the initial climb to an altitude of approximately 200 feet, the seaplane experienced a stall. The loss of lift caused the aircraft to descend rapidly and impact the water surface. Following the crash, all five individuals on board were successfully rescued. The structural damage sustained by the airframe was extensive, rendering it damaged beyond repair.

Findings

Canadian authorities investigated the event and determined that the primary factor leading to the accident was insufficient airspeed. The aircraft did not achieve adequate velocity after leaving the water surface during takeoff. This lack of speed resulted in an aerodynamic stall during the climb phase, which directly caused the subsequent impact with the lake.

Probable cause

The aircraft stalled and crashed because it lacked sufficient speed after taking off from the lake.