Incident
A Piper PA-31-350, registration C-GNIE, serial number 31-7552047, was conducting a scheduled instrument flight rules mail service flight (APO1023) from Rouyn Airport to Val-d'Or Airport in Quebec. The flight occurred at night, around 1845. After reviewing the weather at the destination, the pilot opted for a visual approach to runway 36. The pilot radioed being at two miles on final approach, then stated he would restart his approach after briefly losing visual contact with the runway. This was the final communication. The flight service station specialist received no emergency locator transmitter signal. Emergency procedures were enacted, and a search ensued. The aircraft was found by a search and rescue team roughly three hours post-accident, situated about two miles southeast of the end of runway 36. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot suffered serious injuries.
Investigation
The investigation revealed that the environmental conditions and loss of visual ground references near Val-d'Or Airport were conducive to spatial disorientation. The pilot's lack of instrument flight experience likely led to disorientation during the overshoot, resulting in loss of control. Furthermore, the pilot did not plan to or execute a pull-up towards the center of the airport, which exacerbated spatial disorientation. The operator, Aéropro, failed to ensure the pilot had completed the mandatory Pilot Proficiency Check (PPC) and was adequately supervised and experienced to safely act as pilot-in-command on a night IFR flight, even though the pilot had received the training required by Transport Canada.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was attributed to three factors: (1) environmental conditions and loss of visual references causing spatial disorientation, with the pilot's limited instrument experience preventing recovery; (2) the pilot's failure to plan and pull up towards the airport center, contributing to disorientation; and (3) the operator's failure to ensure the pilot completed the required PPC and had sufficient supervision and experience for night IFR operations.