Flight Details
The aircraft was dispatched from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, on a charter flight to pick up four fishermen and transport them to La Ronge, Saskatchewan. The crew consisted of pilot John Kinzel and copilot Mark Hefferman.
Sequence of Events
During initial climb-out from Winnipeg, the aircraft was cleared to 22,000 feet. Thirteen minutes after takeoff, the crew obtained clearance to alter heading to avoid weather they were painting on their radar. Over the next six minutes, the crew reported severe turbulence and requested vectors out of the area. Moments later, the aircraft emerged vertically at low altitude from the base of a dark cloud. It struck an island of reeds in a marshy area at high speed in a 60-degree nose-down attitude. The wreckage was found 27 km north of Portage la Prairie. All six occupants were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation identified the following findings: The captain did not adequately assess the forecast weather phenomena and did not take appropriate action to avoid it. The captain flew the aircraft into thunderstorm conditions which resulted in a loss of control. Additionally, the flight crew was not appropriately qualified on the aircraft type.