What happened
During the early morning hours of the incident, a flight crew consisting of two pilots and a paramedic departed Thunder Bay Airport, Ontario, for a scheduled medical transfer. The mission involved flying to Wawa Aerodrome to collect a patient for transport to Sault Ste. Marie. Prior to departure, the crew had contacted the aerodrome to inquire about runway conditions and were informed that light snowfall was occurring, with plowing expected by approximately 0730.
At 0653, the aircraft departed Thunder Bay. The flight proceeded without incident during the cruise phase, and the crew maintained contact with air traffic control. As the aircraft approached Wawa Aerodrome during civil twilight, the crew activated the runway lighting via radio control and began an RNAV (GNSS) approach to Runway 03. Although the crew could see the runway from 10 nautical miles away, the surface was covered in snow that had not yet been cleared by ground staff.
Upon touching down at 0739, the aircraft began to slide toward the right. Despite the crew's efforts to regain control using rudder inputs and differential power, the aircraft rotated nearly 180 degrees. The plane slid sideways off the right side of the runway and came to rest on its left side in a drainage ditch, approximately 78 feet from the runway edge. The impact caused extensive damage, including propeller blades penetrating the cabin. Following an evacuation through the rear main door, the occupants reached the runway, where snow depth was measured between 6 and 8 inches. All three occupants sustained minor injuries.
Findings
- The runway had not yet been plowed by aerodrome staff prior to the aircraft's arrival.
- Accumulated snow on the runway surface caused the loss of directional control during the landing roll.