What happened
On a flight traveling from Salem, Oregon, to Springbank, Alberta, a privately operated Piper Malibu PA-46-310P experienced a critical mechanical issue. While descending through 17,000 feet, approximately 55 nautical miles southwest of Calgary, the pilot notified the Edmonton Area Control Centre that the aircraft had suffered an engine failure.
Following the loss of power, the pilot attempted to perform an emergency landing at the Fairmont Hot Springs airport in British Columbia. However, the aircraft crashed at approximately 1912 mountain daylight time in a forested area located roughly 11 nm east of Invermere, British Columbia. The accident occurred during night operations. The crash resulted in three fatalities, involving the pilot and two passengers.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating under instrument flight rules at the time of the incident.
- The primary emergency was triggered by the loss of engine power during the descent phase.