News release

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released its investigation report (A23P0153) into the December 2023 aircraft collision with terrain near Bella Bella, British Columbia (BC). The report highlights the serious risks of fuel contamination when proper precautions are not taken during drum fuelling operations.

On December 18, 2023, a Wilderness Seaplanes Ltd. Grumman G-21A Goose amphibious aircraft departed Bella Bella, BC on a flight to Port Hardy, BC with one pilot and four passengers on board. The aircraft was refuelled from a fuel drum before departure. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced a dual engine failure and collided with terrain a short distance from the departure runway. All occupants received minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

The investigation determined that the dual engine failure and subsequent collision with terrain were caused by water-contaminated fuel. The operator, unaware of Transport Canada’s fuel drum storage guidelines, stored the occurrence fuel drum upright, which likely allowed water to enter, contaminating the fuel. Common safeguards such as filters and water detection paste were not used. Because it was assumed that the task was simple and that pilots would have prior experience, training or clear procedures for drum fuelling were not provided. Fuel sampling was only required during daily inspections, and its omission had become normalized. These gaps in storage, handling, and inspection created conditions for contaminated fuel to enter the aircraft’s system, ultimately leading to the loss of engine power and the forced landing.

Following the occurrence, Wilderness Seaplanes Ltd. equipped its Grumman Goose aircraft with a clear container that simplified one-person fuel sampling from the cockpit. The operator also made it mandatory to collect and inspect a fuel sample after fuelling aircraft from any source other than a fuel truck or fuel tanks at two specified locations.

See the investigation page for more information.