No fatalities

Emergency Landing on Frozen St. Lawrence River Results in Aircraft Loss (CF-CPM)

Quebec, CanadaFlight

On March 14, 1944, a Noorduyn Norseman (registration CF-CPM) operated by Canadian Pacific Airlines - CP Air was involved in an aviation accident near Quebec, Canada in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Unknown technical problems forced an emergency landing on a frozen river, leading to the loss of the aircraft after it sank. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot attempted an emergency landing on the frozen St. Lawrence River due to technical issues. All three occupants were rescued before the aircraft sank and was not recovered.

What happened

During the en route phase of flight, the pilot identified unknown technical problems that necessitated an immediate response. To address the situation, the crew executed an emergency landing on the surface of the frozen St. Lawrence River. The aircraft came to rest on the ice, where it began to drift. Rescue teams quickly reached the scene and successfully extracted all three occupants from the airframe. Despite the successful rescue of the personnel, the structural integrity of the machine failed as it continued to move across the ice. The aircraft eventually submerged completely and disappeared beneath the surface.

Findings

The investigation noted that the aircraft was not recovered from the riverbed. The primary cause for the emergency landing was attributed to unidentified technical difficulties encountered during flight.

Probable cause

Unknown technical problems forced an emergency landing on a frozen river, leading to the loss of the aircraft after it sank.