Air transportation safety investigation A23W0158
Table of contents
Collision with terrain
Air Tindi Ltd.
Viking Air DHC-6-300 Twin Otter, C-GMAS
Diavik Aerodrome (CDK2), Northwest Territories, 8 NM SE
The occurrence
On , a Viking Air DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft operated by Air Tindi Ltd. was conducting a flight from Margaret Lake, Northwest Territories, to Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories, in support of winter road construction with 2 crew members and 8 passengers on board. On approach to Lac de Gras, the aircraft collided with terrain. Two people sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft was significantly damaged.
Search and rescue technicians from Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Trenton and the Royal Canadian Air Force parachuted into the area to provide medical and survival support overnight. In addition, emergency personnel from the Diavik Diamond Mine were deployed and arrived on scene the evening of the accident. All personnel were recovered from the site the following day and received appropriate medical attention. The TSB is investigating.
Media materials
Deployment notice
TSB to investigate an aircraft accident near Diavik, Northwest Territories
Edmonton, Alberta, 28 December 2023 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) will be deploying a team to investigate a collision with terrain involving a Viking Air DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft that occurred Wednesday near Diavik, 300 km north east of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
Investigation information
Map showing the location of the occurrence
Investigator-in-charge
Eli Pasquali joined the Transportation Safety Board of Canada in 2023 as a Regional Senior Investigator – Operations, for the Western Region and works in Edmonton, Alberta. He holds a current airline transport pilot’s license and has accumulated over 8000 hours of flight time on a variety of aircraft types, such as the Cessna Caravan, Dehavilland Beaver, Otter and Twin Otter, King Air 200/350, and Dornier 228. Prior to joining the TSB, Mr. Pasquali worked for over 15 years in civil aviation including experience as a training pilot, check pilot and test pilot. Mr. Pasquali has extensive experience float flying, bush flying and medevac flying both in Canada and internationally.
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
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- 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.
- 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.