1995 Sioux Lookout mid-air collision

On 1 May 1995, Bearskin Airlines Flight 362, a Fairchild Metroliner, collided mid-air with Air Sandy Flight 3101, a Piper PA-31 Navajo, approximately 19 km northwest of the Sioux Lookout Airport killing all 8 on board both aircraft. Bearskin Flight 362 crashed into Lac Seul, and Air Sandy Flight 3101 crashed into the forest nearby. The crash was followed by a lengthy investigation from the Transport Safety Board of Canada which led to several changes to aviation in Canada.

Accident

Bearskin Flight 362 left Red Lake Airport at 1:00 PM CDT en route to Sioux Lookout on an instrument flight rules flight. While approximately 55 km north of the Sioux Lookout Airport, the flight received clearance from Winnipeg Area Control Centre to begin an approach who advised the Sioux Lookout FSS (flight service station) of the incoming flight at 1:15 PM. Bearskin Flight 362 intentionally waited 70 seconds to contact the Sioux Lookout FSS in order to allow them to get out of the clouds and receive clearance to change to visual flight rules. During this time, Air Sandy Flight 3101, en route to Red Lake, took off from Sioux Lookout Airport and reported clear of the Sioux Lookout Control Zone. Bearskin Flight 362 finally made contact with FSS at 1:27 PM while 25 km away from the airport. Neither planes contacted FSS or ACC after this point. One minute later while giving an airport advisory about Bearskin Flight 362, the flight service specialist overhead an Emergency Locator Transmitter release a signal over the emergency frequencies. With both planes set on a collision course with a closing speed of 400 knots, at 1:28 roughly 3.5 seconds prior to impact, the pilot of Air Sandy Flight 3101 spotted Flight 362 and began a steep left turn in an effort to avoid it. However it was too late and the right wing of Air Sandy Flight 3101 made contact with the nose and right propeller of Bearskin Flight 362 at a 45º angle. As Flight 362's propeller splintered and the engine flew off, Air Sandy's right wing continued further into the other aircraft, and sliced off Flight 362's right wing, destroying itself in the process. The wings from both aircraft contained fuel cells which combusted upon impact leaving both planes on fire as they experienced an uncontrollable vertical descent into the ground.