Vancouver - Kelowna

On October 27, 2011 at 04:12 PM, Vancouver - Kelowna experienced a crash involving Beechcraft 100 King Air, operated by Northern Thunderbird Air - NT Air, with the event recorded near Vancouver 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.

9 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 7 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 22.2%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 7, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The Northern Thunderbird Air Incorporated Beechcraft King Air 100 (serial number B-36, registration C-GXRX) departed Vancouver International Airport for Kelowna, British Columbia, with 7 passengers and 2 pilots on board. About 15 minutes after take-off, the flight diverted back to Vancouver because of an oil leak. No emergency was declared. At 1611 Pacific Daylight Time, when the aircraft was about 300 feet above ground level and about 0.5 statute miles from the runway, it suddenly banked left and pitched nose-down. The aircraft collided with the ground and caught fire before coming to rest on a roadway just outside of the airport fence. Passersby helped to evacuate 6 passengers; fire and rescue personnel rescued the remaining passenger and the pilots. The aircraft was destroyed, and all of the passengers were seriously injured. Both pilots succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter had been removed.

Aircraft reference details include registration C-GXRX, MSN B-36, year of manufacture 1970.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 49.2609°, -123.1140°.