Narrative:Aircraft approaching Penticton Airport must remain at an altitude of at least 6,500 feet until passing the a fan marker at the Okanagan Mountain. After passing the marker, let down is rapid: 700-800 ft/min. Approaching the marker, the DC-3 contacted trees on the Okanagan Mountain. The port tail plane and elevator were almost immediately sheared off by the trees while the port wing struck a large tree shearing the wing off. The wreckage rotated to the left and slid until coming to rest approximately 400 feet from the first contact with the trees. Both the co-pilot and pilot-in-command sustained fatal injuries.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The aircraft struck Okanagan Mountain as a result of being below the minimum altitude permissible when passing through the Greata fan marker during an instrument approach procedure on the Penticton Radio Range."
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 18-AN/15 (22-25)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Vancouver International Airport, BC to Penticton Airport, BC as the crow flies is 259 km (162 miles).
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.