What happened
On a scheduled daytime flight under visual flight rules, a Metro III (registration C-FIPW) departed from Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan, bound for La Ronge. The flight, operated by Northern Dene Airways Ltd. as Norcanair Flight KA1051, was carrying nine passengers and two crew members.
As the aircraft approached La Ronge at approximately 1410 CST, the crew performed the necessary landing and approach checklists, verifying that the landing gear was extended. The aircraft touched down on Runway 18 roughly 1000 feet from the threshold during a crosswind landing. Upon contact with the runway, the left wing dipped, causing the propeller to strike the surface.
Following the propeller strike, the aircraft drifted toward the left side of the runway. Despite the crew applying full aileron and rudder deflection along with maximum braking on the right side, the aircraft exited the paved surface. The plane traveled about 200 feet into the infield, where the nose and right main landing gear were ripped backward, and the left gear retracted into the wheel well. The aircraft eventually came to a stop in the infield, approximately 300 feet from the runway edge, after sliding on its fuselage.
Among the occupants, three passengers sustained minor injuries due to the impact of the gear collapse, while the pilots and remaining passengers were unharmed.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a wing drop and propeller strike immediately upon touchdown.
- A crosswind condition was present during the landing phase.