What happened
On the evening of 11 January 1994, a PA-31 Navajo was conducting a chartered round-robin service traveling from Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon airport in Quebec toward St. Anthony, Newfoundland. The flight was being conducted under visual flight rules (VFR).
At 1813 Newfoundland standard time (NST), the crew notified the St. Anthony flight service station of their departure. Approximately thirty minutes later, at 1846 NST, the pilot reported that the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 2,500 feet, positioned roughly 32 nautical miles southeast of Blanc-Sablon.
Seven minutes following that update, the crew established contact with the Sept-Iles flight service station via a repeater located at Blanc-Sablon. During this exchange, they requested current airport data and indicated they were approximately 16 nautical miles and six minutes away from their destination. After being provided with updated altimeter settings and wind information, the crew stated their intention to land on runway 05 and promised to check in again during their final approach. No subsequent radio communications were recorded.
The wreckage of the aircraft was not located until seven months after the disappearance, when it was discovered by local fishermen.
Findings
While an official cause for the accident could not be definitively established, investigators suggested that improper altimeter monitoring likely led to a controlled descent into the ice surface.