What happened
On a scheduled charter flight under visual flight rules, a Piper Navajo PA-31 departed from Kangiqsujuaq, Quebec, bound for Kuujjuaq, Quebec. The aircraft, operated by Les transports Aéro 2000 Inc., was carrying one pilot and three passengers at the time of the accident.
At 10:56 EDT, the pilot communicated with the Kuujjuaq flight service station via radio. During this transmission, the pilot indicated that the takeoff had occurred eight minutes prior and expressed intentions to fly over the Nouveau-Québec crater. No further communications were established following this report.
After the aircraft failed to reach its destination as scheduled, search operations were launched. A ground-based search party located the wreckage the following day. The investigation determined that the aircraft had collided with the eastern slope of the Nouveau-Québec crater while maintaining straight and level flight. The impact resulted in four fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft was in a stable, straight and level flight phase at the moment of impact.
- The collision occurred specifically with the eastern slope of the Nouveau-Québec crater.