Port Hardy – Vancouver

On June 23, 1957 at 02:20 PM, Port Hardy – Vancouver experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-3, operated by Queen Charlotte Airlines, with the event recorded near Port Hardy British Columbia.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

18 people were known to be on board, 14 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 77.8%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 15, passenger fatalities: 12, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. At approximately 1411LT the aircraft departed Port Hardy on a scheduled flight to Vancouver with a crew of three and fifteen passengers on board. Five minutes after takeoff the pilot informed the control tower that he was returning because of elevator control trouble. The aircraft made a long final approach to runway 15 and at 1420LT touched the runway and bounced. At this point, the aircraft was observed to make an exceptionally sharp climb and it appeared that full power was applied. However, at the top of this steep climb, the aircraft stalled and fell to the ground in a nose-down attitude, the right wing striking first, and burst into flames almost instantly. The stewardess and three passengers were the only survivors.

Aircraft reference details include registration CF-EPI, MSN 7408, year of manufacture 1942.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 50.7210°, -127.4907°.