Air transportation safety investigation A16P0186

Loss of control and collision with terrain

Norjet Inc.
Cessna Citation 500, C-GTNG
Kelowna Airport, British Columbia, 4.5 nm NE
13 October 2016

View final report

The occurrence

On 13 October 2016, a privately operated Cessna Citation 500 (registration C-GTNG, serial number 500-0169), departed Kelowna Airport (CYLW), British Columbia, on an instrument flight rules night flight to Calgary/Springbank Airport (CYBW), Alberta. The pilot and 3 passengers were on board. Shortly after departure, at about 2135 Pacific Daylight Time, the aircraft made a tight right turn as it was climbing through 8600 feet above sea level, and then entered a steep descending turn to the right until it struck the ground. All of the occupants were fatally injured. Impact forces and a post-impact fire destroyed the aircraft. No emergency call was made, and no emergency locator transmitter signal was detected.

Safety communications

Recommendations

Safety concern

Media materials

News release

Backgrounders

Speeches

Deployment notice

Investigation information

Map showing the location of the occurrence

Investigator-in-charge

Senior Investigator Beverley Harvey works in the International Operations and Major Investigations division of the Air Investigations Branch. Ms. Harvey, who started her career as a pilot in New Zealand, has over 40 years’ civil aviation experience. She was a flight instructor at the Rockcliffe Flying Club in Ottawa before flying single-engine aircraft for Earlton Airways and Wanapitei Airways in Ontario. She subsequently flew the Cessna 402 and Beechcraft 99 aircraft for Austin Airways. At Air Ontario Ms. Harvey flew the de Havilland DHC-8 100 and 300 series aircraft.

Ms. Harvey joined Transport Canada in 2000 and worked as an inspector before joining the TSB in 2008. She is a certified aircraft accident investigator, and completed her training at the University of Southern California. She holds a valid Airline Transport Pilot Licence.

Photos

  Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.

Class of investigation

This is a class 2 investigation. These investigations are complex and involve several safety issues requiring in-depth analysis. Class 2 investigations, which frequently result in recommendations, are generally completed within 600 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.

TSB investigation process

There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation

1. Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
2. Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
3. Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.

For more information, see our Investigation process page.

The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.