ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 C-FAIV Vancouver-Coal Harbour SPB, BC (CXH)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 2 September 1978
Time:17:42
Type:Silhouette image of generic DHC6 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 200
Operator:Airwest Airlines
Registration: C-FAIV
MSN: 215
First flight: 1969
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 11
Total:Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 13
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Vancouver-Coal Harbour SPB, BC (CXH) (   Canada)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Victoria Harbour, BC, Canada
Destination airport:Vancouver-Coal Harbour SPB, BC (CXH/CYHC), Canada
Narrative:
The float-equipped Twin Otter passenger plane departed Victoria Harbour at 17:18 for a 20-minute flight to Vancouver Harbour water aerodrome (CXH). At 175 feet, while on final approach, a loud noise was heard. The aircraft yawed to the left and plunged into the harbour in a left-wing and nose-down attitude, 2500 feet short of the landing area.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: In-flight failure of the left-hand inboard flap control rod that led to a sudden retraction of the complete left-hand flap system and sudden loss of control. The inboard span-wise push-pull flap control rod (inboard bell-crank to inboard rod) was severely stress-corroded and had at least three longitudinal cracks; the rod had separated from its inboard fitting.

Classification:
Issue with flap(s)
Loss of control

Sources:
» CASB Final Report
» ICAO Circular 166-AN/105 (101-115)


Photos

photo of DHC-6-Twin-Otter-200-C-FAIV
accident date: 02-09-1978
type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 200
registration: C-FAIV
 
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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