Air transportation safety investigation A14O0217

Collision with terrain

Flyblocktime Incorporated
Cessna 150M, C-GJAO
Whitney, Ontario, 8 nm S
11 November 2014

View final report

The occurrence

A Flyblocktime Incorporated Cessna 150M (registration C-GJAO, serial number 15077889) with 2 people on board departed from the Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport, Ontario, at 1803 Eastern Standard Time under night visual flight rules for a flight to the Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport. At 2025, the pilot transmitted a mayday on the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz, indicating that he was lost and that the aircraft was low on fuel. This and subsequent transmissions were relayed to air traffic control by high-flying commercial aircraft. C-GJAO was below radar coverage, and air traffic control made numerous attempts to assist the aircraft in locating a suitable aerodrome. At 2127, the pilot made a final radio transmission, and the aircraft crashed shortly thereafter. The emergency locator transmitter activated on impact. Search-and-rescue personnel located the accident site in the south end of Algonquin Provincial Park at approximately 2340 but were unable to access the scene of the accident until 0300 because of inclement weather. Both of the aircraft’s occupants were found fatally injured.

Media materials

News release

Deployment notice

Investigation information

Map showing the location of the occurrence

Investigator-in-charge

Ewan Tasker has over 20 years of civil aviation experience. He joined the TSB in 2008, and is now a regional senior investigator based out of Richmond Hill, Ontario. Since joining the TSB, he has been the investigator-in-charge of more than 250 occurrences, including 11 major investigations.

Before joining the TSB, Mr. Tasker flew commercially throughout North and South America, accrued over 7000 hours of flight time, and obtained airline transport pilot licences from 3 different regulatory bodies. During his “from-the-ground-up” career, he has worked every position, from baggage handler to chief pilot. Mr. Tasker is also a Transport Canada–licensed air traffic controller.

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

1. Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
2. 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.
3. 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.