Winnipeg - Little Grand Rapids

On December 9, 1997 at 03:26 PM, Winnipeg - Little Grand Rapids experienced a crash involving Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, operated by Sowind Air, with the event recorded near Little Grand Rapids Manitoba.

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.

17 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 13 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 23.5%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 15, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The Sowind Air Ltd. Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante aircraft departed the operator's base at St. Andrews, Manitoba, with a crew of 2 and 15 passengers, on a 40-minute, scheduled flight to Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba. The aircraft arrived at Little Grand Rapids, and the crew flew an instrument approach to the airport and executed a missed approach because the required visual reference was not established. A second instrument approach was attempted. Ground-based witnesses observed the aircraft very low over the lake to the south of the airport and to the east of the normal approach path. Passengers in the aircraft also reported being very low over the lake and to the east of the normal approach path. The passengers described an increase in engine power followed by a rapid series of steep banking manoeuvres after the aircraft crossed the shoreline to the southeast of the airport. During the manoeuvres, the aircraft descended into the trees and crashed approximately 400 feet south and 1 600 feet east of the approach to runway 36 at Little Grand Rapids. The captain and three passengers were fatally injured, and the first officer and the remaining 12 passengers were seriously injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration C-GVRO, MSN 110-285, year of manufacture 1980.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 52.0196°, -95.4548°.