News release

Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its report (A24W0066) into the June 2024 fatal collision with terrain at the Haines Junction Aerodrome, Yukon involving a Cessna 206 aircraft operated by Rocking Star Adventures Ltd. One passenger was fatally injured, and the pilot and four other passengers sustained serious injuries.

On June 10, 2024, the aircraft departed Haines Junction Aerodrome on a sightseeing flight to the Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada. While preparing to land, there was a complete loss of engine power. In response, the pilot attempted to restart the engine and then initiated a 180° turn to align with the runway, but the aircraft entered an accelerated aerodynamic stall, impacted terrain on aerodrome property and came to rest inverted.

The investigation found that the pilot routinely relied on memory rather than checklists in his day-to-day operations. The aircraft’s before-landing checklist indicates to switch the fuel selector to the fuller tank before landing. The pilot did not complete this item, consequently, the valve remained on the empty tank, which led to a total engine power loss due to fuel starvation. An attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful as it did not follow the manufacturer’s in-flight procedures.

After the loss of power, the pilot initiated a 180° turn to the desired runway that required a steep bank angle to complete. The steep turn resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall at a height too low to permit recovery, and the aircraft impacted the terrain.

Following the accident, Rocking Star Adventures Ltd. enhanced training and proficiency checks for its pilots and made improvements to operational procedures.

See the investigation page for more information.