What happened
On a scheduled domestic flight from Vancouver to Terrace, British Columbia, the Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III operated by Skylink as Flight 070 experienced a fatal accident during its arrival. After departing Vancouver at 06:51, the aircraft was cleared for an approach at Terrace Airport (YXT) at 08:20.
During the descent, the aircraft was observed flying at approximately 1,200 feet altitude near the missed approach point. While the landing gear was extended, the flight path transitioned into a downwind leg for runway 15 at roughly 500 feet above ground level, passing over the threshold of runway 27. Following the crossing of the localizer transmitter at 1,100 feet and 140 knots, the crew lowered the flaps to the full position and leveled the aircraft at 900 feet.
Shortly after the flaps were set, a missed approach was initiated, and the landing gear and flaps were retracted. Although the aircraft initially achieved a climb rate of 1,200 feet per minute, this upward momentum quickly ceased. The aircraft then entered a rapid descent of approximately 3,000 feet per minute. During this descent, the co-pilot noted the loss of altitude. The aircraft subsequently struck trees on the western side of runway 15 and made a second impact with the ground about 800 feet away. A post-impact fire destroyed the plane, and all seven fatalities (five passengers and two crew) were recorded.
Findings
The investigation determined that the crew proceeded with the approach past the missed approach point without securing necessary visual references. The aircraft was flown into the terrain in a manner suggesting spatial disorientation while performing a missed approach under IFR conditions. Additional contributing factors included insufficient company operating procedures, diminished operating standards, and poorly defined requirements for visual references during circling approaches.