News release

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report (A24W0008) into the fatal aircraft collision with terrain in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. 

On January 23, 2024, a Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. British Aerospace Jetstream 3212 departed Fort Smith Airport, Northwest Territories, under instrument flight rules with two flight crew members and five passengers on board. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft descended and struck trees approximately 0.5 nautical miles beyond the runway before impacting terrain. The captain, first officer, and four of the five passengers were fatally injured. The surviving passenger was ejected during the accident sequence and sustained injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by a post-impact fire.

The investigation determined that during departure, the captain maintained a low pitch attitude and higher airspeed to shed snow accumulation, resulting in the aircraft flying closer to the ground than during a standard departure. When the crew attempted to retract the landing gear, low outside air temperature combined with increased air load prevented one main landing gear unit from fully retracting. Engine power was reduced to decrease airspeed and complete the gear retraction, which led to an inadvertent descent. As they likely focused on the landing gear issue and airspeed, the crew did not detect the loss of altitude until immediately before impact. The aircraft struck trees and terrain approximately 10 seconds after the descent began. 

Some broader operational and organizational factors that could pose risks to flight safety were also identified during this investigation. A recurring landing‑gear issue had not been recorded in the aircraft’s technical logs. When this happens, unreported defects may go unaddressed, increasing the risk of an aircraft being dispatched for flight in an unsafe condition. In addition, pilots had developed an informal workaround for the landing‑gear issue. Adaptations to standard operating procedures that are normalized but not formally implemented can lead to inconsistent practices and reduced crew resource management effectiveness.

Following this occurrence, Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. amended the standard operating procedures for the Jetstream series 3100 and 3200 aircraft to clarify specifically how and when pilots should address both abnormal and emergency situations during a flight. The company ceased scheduled service and Jetstream aircraft operations in January 2025. 

See the investigation page for more information.