C185, Smithers BC Canada, 2000
C185, Smithers BC Canada, 2000
Summary
On 27 September 2000, a Cessna 185, struck a snow covered hillside, probably while in controlled flight, en-route from Smithers BC, Canada.
Flight Details
Aircraft
Operator
Type of Flight
Private
Flight Origin
Intended Destination
Take-off Commenced
Yes
Flight Airborne
Yes
Flight Completed
No
Phase of Flight
Cruise
Location
Approx.
80 nm NW of Smithers
CFIT
Tag(s)
Into terrain,
No Visual Reference,
VFR flight plan
Outcome
Damage or injury
Yes
Aircraft damage
Hull loss
Non-aircraft damage
Yes
Non-occupant Casualties
No
Occupant Fatalities
Most or all occupants
Off Airport Landing
Yes
Ditching
Yes
Causal Factor Group(s)
Group(s)
Aircraft Operation
Safety Recommendation(s)
Group(s)
None Made
Investigation Type
Type
Independent
Description
On 27 September 2000, a privately operated Cessna 185 with three occupants, struck a snow covered hillside, en-route from Smithers BC to White Horse, Yukon, Canada.
Synopsis
The following is an extract taken from the Summary from the Transport Safety Board (Canada) Aviation Investigation Report:
"The Cessna 185 aircraft…was purchased in Spokane, Washington, USA, on 27 September 2000 and test flown by the pilot that day. The vendor certified that all of the required maintenance was accomplished before selling the aeroplane. The next day the pilot departed Deer Park (north of Spokane), on a ferry flight to Alaska. At about 1200 Pacific daylight time, the aeroplane landed in Smithers, British Columbia, after a flight from Williams Lake. The pilot had the aeroplane refuelled, received a weather briefing, and filed a flight plan. The flight-planned route was from Smithers direct to Dease Lake, then direct to Whitehorse, Yukon. At 1217, the pilot and two passengers departed Smithers. At 1317, the Cospas-Sarsat system,(1) received an emergency locator transmitter signal from an area about 80 nautical miles northwest of Smithers. Search-and-rescue aircraft were dispatched; however, weather conditions hampered the search. The wreckage of the Cessna 185 was found at 1310 the next day at 5100 feet above sea level on a snow-covered, treeless hillside, at latitude 56°08' north and longitude 128°16' west. No fire had occurred. The three occupants were fatally injured."
The full TSB report of the Investigation was published on 24 May 2001 and concluded that:
"The aeroplane struck a hillside, probably while in controlled flight, for undetermined reasons…It is probable that the pilot continued visual flight in adverse weather conditions, which increased the risk of collision with terrain."
No Safety Recommendations were made.
Related Articles
Further Reading
- The full TSB report
- Accident and Serious Incident Reports: CFIT contains details of other accidents and incidents which resulted in, or might have resulted in, a CFIT
