The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 9 August 2013.
Controlled flight into terrain
de Havilland DHC-2 MK 1 (Beaver) C-GCZA
Peachland, British Columbia, 10 nm W
The occurrence
The privately operated de Havilland DHC-2 MK 1 amphibious floatplane (registration C-GCZA, serial number 1667) departed Okanagan Lake, near Kelowna, for a daytime flight under visual flight rules to Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, with the pilot and 2 passengers on board. While enroute, the aircraft struck trees and collided with terrain close to and 100 feet below the level of Highway 97C, near the Brenda Mines tailings hill. At 1850 Pacific Daylight Time, a brief 406-megahertz emergency-locator-transmitter signal was detected, which identified the aircraft; however, a location could not be determined. Most of the aircraft was consumed by a post-impact fire. The 3 occupants were fatally injured.
Investigation information
A12P0070
Controlled flight into terrain
de Havilland DHC-2 MK 1 (Beaver) C-GCZA
Peachland, British Columbia, 10 nm W
Investigator-in-charge
Neil Hughes joined the TSB in January 2008 as a senior aviation investigator. He started his career in aviation in 1976, working as an apprentice aircraft maintenance engineer (AME). In 1979, he earned a commercial pilot's licence, and flew out of Inuvik and Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories for 3 years. After a year at the Pacific Vocational Institute, he graduated in 1984 with an AME licence.
After 12 years working as an AME and quality-assurance inspector for regional carriers maintaining transport-category aircraft, Mr. Hughes went to work with Transport Canada (TC) Maintenance and Manufacturing (M and M), Large Air Carrier, as a principal maintenance inspector for 705 operators.
During his 5-year tenure with M and M, he also supported the national audit program as an auditor and team leader. As a system safety inspector with TC for 7 years, his duties included safety promotion/education and, as a minister's observer, following and reporting to TC on the progress of TSB investigations. He was also a member of a working group developing guidance material for the implementation of safety management systems for small operators.
In 2007 he was awarded a certificate in safety management systems from the Southern California Safety Institute.
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Class of investigation
This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
- Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.
For more information, see our Investigation process page.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.