Fatal Spiral Dive of a SOCATA TBM 700N Near Wiarton, Ontario (C-FBKK)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence A privately owned SOCATA TBM 700N, registration C-FBKK (serial number 621), departed Ottawa/Carp Airport, Ontario, on an instrument flight rules flight plan to Goderich, Ontario. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot and sole occupant changed the destination to Wiarton, Ontario. Air traffic control cleared the aircraft to climb to flight level 260 (FL260). The aircraft continued climbing through FL260 and entered a right-hand turn that rapidly developed into a spiral dive. At approximately 1219 Eastern Daylight Time, the aircraft struck the ground and was destroyed. Small fires broke out and consumed some sections of the aircraft. The pilot was fatally injured. ## Emergency Locator Transmitter The 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter on board the aircraft was damaged, and its signal was not sensed by the search and rescue satellite-aided tracking (SARSAT) system. ## Official Findings The investigation determined that the pilot lost control of the aircraft for undetermined reasons and the aircraft collided with terrain. A risk finding noted that operating an aircraft above 13,000 feet above sea level without an available emergency oxygen supply increases the risk of incapacitation due to hypoxia following depressurization. An additional finding stated that the avionics system had the capability to record data essential to the accident investigation, but the recording medium was destroyed in the accident.