What happened
On the evening of the accident, a PA-31-310, registered as C-FARL, was performing a visual flight rules flight from Îles-de-la-Madeleine to Gaspé, Quebec. The flight was operated by Les Ailes de Gaspé Inc. and carried a total of three people: one pilot and two passengers.
During the flight, the pilot received updates regarding the weather at the destination airport, noting a fog layer with a ceiling of 500 feet and visibility limited to 0.75 miles. In response to these conditions, the pilot requested and received clearance for an instrument approach at roughly 18:57 EDT. Shortly after this communication, the pilot used the microphone button to activate the aerodrome lights; this served as the final radio contact from the aircraft.
Following the aircraft's failure to arrive at the destination, a search operation was launched. The wreckage was located the following morning at 10:28 EDT on a hilltop situated 1.2 nautical miles northeast of the Gaspé airport. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft, though no post-crash fire occurred. All three occupants sustained fatal injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in conditions involving fog and low visibility.
- The final communication from the crew involved the activation of airport lighting via the radio microphone.