Wichita – Portland – Gander

On March 31, 1973 at 11:50 PM, Wichita – Portland – Gander experienced a crash involving Cessna 340, operated by Cessna Aircraft Company, with the event recorded near Gander Newfoundland & Labrador.

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

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot, sole on board, was completing a delivery flight from Wichita to France via Portland and Gander. The approach to Gander was initiated by night and good weather conditions. On final, the pilot descended too low when the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed few km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed. Still owned by Cessna Aircraft, the airplane was on its way to France to be delivered to its future operator Flo Air.

Aircraft reference details include registration N7691Q, MSN 340A-0190, year of manufacture 1973.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 48.9417°, -54.6012°.