Date:	Saturday 29 May 2010
Time:	12:15
Type:	Cessna A185F Skywagon (amphibian)
Owner/operator:	Atleo River Air Service Ltd.
Registration:	C-GIYQ
MSN:	18503618
Year of manufacture:	1978
Engine model:	Teledyne Continental IO-550-D
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	2nm off Ahousat, Flores Island, BC -   Canada
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger
Departure airport:	Tofino, BC
Destination airport:	Ahousat, BC
Investigating agency:	TSB
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
The Atleo River Air Service float-equipped Cessna 185F, took off from Tofino, BC, at 12:00 for a flight to Ahousat, with a pilot and 3 passengers. The short flight was being carried out under visual flight rules at about 500 feet above sea level. About 2 nautical miles from Ahousat, while in cruise flight, the aircraft descended in a steep nose-down attitude until it hit the water in Millar Channel and overturned. Attempts to secure the aircraft failed and it sank. There were no survivors. The emergency locator transmitter functioned but its signal was not received until the wreckage was brought to the surface 2 days later.

The aircraft had been chartered by 3 residents of Ahousat. They had a small amount of baggage and cargo that consisted of several bottles of liquor, a case of beer, and some personal effects. It is unknown where the baggage and cargo were stowed in the aircraft, but they were not secured.

Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. It is likely that passenger interference caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft whereupon it descended in a steep nose-down attitude until it struck the water.
2. It is possible the passengers' level of intoxication contributed to their inability to recognize the gravity of the situation and stop the interference in time for the pilot to regain control of the aircraft before impact.
3. Because there was no locking mechanism on the pilot's seatback, and because the pilot was not wearing his shoulder strap, he would have been unable to prevent his upper body from being forced onto the instrument panel.

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2010/a10p0147/a10p0147.asp

http://torontosun.com/category/news
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.theprovince.com/Float+plane+crashes+Ahousat+near+Tofino/3088265/story.html]
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.theprovince.com/news/Float+plane+crashes+Ahousat+near+Tofino/3088265/story.html]
http://web.archive.org/web/20100602083218/http://www.cbc.ca:80/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/05/29/bc-float-plane-crash-tofino.html
https://globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/?gref=cknw&ID=1235333
CADORS report 2010P0657

http://static.pixelpipe.com/7630dfe5-0aba-4d26-a7da-8d63ee61bbb2_b.jpg (photo)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-May-2010 17:44	RobertMB	Added
30-May-2010 14:41	TB	Updated [Registration, Cn, Narrative]
31-May-2010 20:58	slowkid	Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative]
01-Jun-2010 02:09	RobertMB	Updated [Source, Narrative]
01-Jun-2010 02:17	RobertMB	Updated [Source]
01-Jun-2010 02:18	RobertMB	Updated [Source]
01-Jun-2010 03:52	RobertMB	Updated [Source]
02-Jun-2010 10:32	harro	Updated [Embed code]
24-Jun-2011 01:44	harro	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]