Sanikiluaq – Iqaluit

On January 20, 1998 at 12:00 AM, Sanikiluaq – Iqaluit experienced a crash involving Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain, operated by Air Nunavut, with the event recorded near Sanikiluaq Nunavut.

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

4 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The Piper Navajo Chieftain PA-31-350, serial number 31-8252042, was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Sanikiluaq to Iqaluit, Northwest Territories. Two pilots and two passengers were on board. After checking the runway condition and weather, the pilot commenced his take-off run on runway 27. After take-off, the pilot saw flames coming out of the right engine cowl. The right engine was shut down but the aircraft could not maintain a sufficient rate of climb, and it crashed on flat, snow-covered ground about one mile from the end of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage on landing. After the aircraft came to a stop, the occupants evacuated via the left front door and walked back to the airport terminal for shelter and assistance. There were no injuries. The occurrence happened at night in instrument meteorological conditions.

Aircraft reference details include registration C-FDNF, MSN 31-8252042, year of manufacture 1982.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 56.5422°, -79.2259°.