What happened
On a night-time medical evacuation mission, a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo, registration C-GOLM, departed from runway 34 at Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan, at 23:25 CST. The flight was organized by the local nursing station to transfer a patient to a hospital in La Ronge, with the patient, her mother, and a nurse on board.
Shortly after takeoff, observers noted that the aircraft was climbing at a notably shallow angle. After the crew failed to respond to radio communications from company personnel, a search operation was initiated. The wreckage was located approximately five minutes after the incident on the snow and ice of Wollaston Lake, situated roughly 0.75 nautical miles from the end of the runway and 1.3 nautical miles from the start of the takeoff roll.
Among the occupants, the pilot and the patient sustained serious injuries, while the remaining two passengers suffered minor injuries. The accident took place in darkness at an elevation of 1,300 feet, with ambient temperatures recorded at approximately -25°C.
Findings
- The aircraft exhibited an unusually shallow climb angle immediately following departure.