Overview
An aircraft departed from Trout Lake, near North Bay, Ontario, carrying a pilot, an engineer, four passengers, and about 1,200 pounds of equipment destined for Timagami, Ontario. During the flight, multiple witnesses reported engine irregularities. The aircraft subsequently crashed near Milne Lake, resulting in fatal injuries to the pilot, engineer, and three passengers, while a fourth passenger was injured. The aircraft was destroyed by the ensuing fire.
Witness Accounts
A fisherman on Ingall Lake saw the aircraft fly overhead at approximately 1,200 feet. He reported that the engine cut out for about ten seconds and then restarted, but sounded less powerful and as though it was missing. Two men at separate locations on the shore of Wilson Lake heard the aircraft approaching with a sputtering and missing engine, and noted it was losing altitude. One of them stated that just before the aircraft went out of sight, it banked steeply to the right and entered a spin. A fourth man in his cabin at Milne Lake heard a loud engine roar that faded out three times. The sound seemed close, and when he stepped outside, he saw the aircraft hit the ground about thirty feet away. Fire erupted immediately, engulfing the aircraft in seconds.
Accident Details
The aircraft came to rest in a small clearing surrounded by trees and cottages, moving no more than three feet from the initial impact point. The condition of the propeller indicated very little power was being developed at impact. The carburetor was damaged by fire, and the fuel filters could not be located. Despite the fire, fuel remained in the tanks. The aircraft was overloaded by an estimated 173 pounds at the time of the accident. The pilot transmitted a 'mayday' distress signal but did not provide details of the emergency.
Possible Forced Landing Opportunities
Between the point where the engine was first reported malfunctioning and the crash site, the aircraft passed over two lakes that could have provided adequate space for a successful forced landing.
Probable Cause
The immediate cause of the accident would appear to be that the engine failed to supply sufficient power to maintain height. The major contributing factor would appear to be poor judgment on the part of the pilot in continuing the flight beyond two lakes where a forced landing could have been made, after it became evident that the engine was not operating in a normal manner.