What happened
On the morning of the accident, a Piper PA-46-350P Jetprop DLX, registered as C-FKKH, departed from Edmonton, Alberta, bound for Winnipeg, Manitoba. The flight was being conducted under instrument flight rules. After reaching the assigned altitude of flight level 270, radar tracking indicated the aircraft was climbing through flight level 274.
During communication with air traffic control, the pilot reported that the aircraft was experiencing difficulties maintaining its altitude due to issues with the autopilot and the gyro/horizon instruments. The pilot further notified controllers that the gyro/horizon had toppled, rendering it unreliable for flight control. Following these reports, radar data showed the aircraft performing several changes in both heading and altitude. The aircraft then entered a right turn and a steep descent, at which point radar contact was lost.
An emergency locator transmitter signal was detected by the Lloydminster, Alberta, Flight Service Station for approximately 90 seconds before the signal ceased. Later that day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police located the wreckage approximately 16 nautical miles northeast of Wainwright. There were five fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.