Collision with terrain
Wilderness North Air
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Nakina, Ontario, 30.8 NM NNW
The occurrence
A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft operated by Wilderness North Air departed Nakina Airport (CYQN), Ontario, on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight to Fort Hope Airport (CYFH), Ontario, at approximately 1245 Eastern Standard Time with 2 pilots on board. At 1445, the aircraft was reported missing by the company. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre was notified and a search for the aircraft began. The aircraft was located on 04 March 2023, 30.8 nautical miles north-northwest of CYQN, along the direct route to CYFH. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were fatally injured. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) had been removed for recertification.
Media materials
Deployment notice
TSB deploys a team to investigate a fatal aircraft accident near Nakina, Ontario
Richmond Hill, Ontario, 6 March 2023 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to the site of a fatal accident involving a Cessna 208B aircraft that occurred on 28 February 2023 near Nakina, Ontario. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
Investigation information
A23O0028
Collision with terrain
Wilderness North Air
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Nakina, Ontario, 30.8 NM NNW
Investigator-in-charge
Jon Douma is a Senior Regional Investigator - Operations with the Ontario Region of the Air Investigations Branch. He joined the TSB in 2019 following 12 years in the business aviation sector, where he flew multiple jet and turboprop types and operated throughout North America, the Caribbean, and Eastern and Western Europe.
Prior to business aviation, he spent several years as a flight instructor, and has maintained an interest in general aviation since then, building and flying multiple amateur-built aircraft with his grandfather.
Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.
Class of investigation
This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- 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.
- 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.