The Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s final report of the March 2016 crash of a U.S-registered MU2 at Îles-de-la-Madeleine Airport (CYGR), Quebec, points to a pilot who let the aircraft get way ahead of him. Plagued by a high workload and unable to manage the aircraft’s energy state, the approach became unstable and the pilot eventually lost control of the airplane. Just a few hundred feet above the ground, the pilot added full power inducing an upset that caused the aircraft to enter a severe right roll. At no time during the approach did the pilot ever attempt a missed approach. Seven people, including the pilot, perished in the accident.
Canada’s TSB Points to Unstable Approach in MU2 Accident
Key Takeaways:
- The 2016 MU2 crash, which killed seven people, was attributed by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) to the pilot's inability to manage a high workload and the aircraft's energy state, leading to an unstable approach and subsequent loss of control.
- The pilot, despite holding an ATP certificate, lacked sufficient proficiency in the high-performance MU2 for single-pilot operation in the conditions encountered, consistently flying the aircraft too high and fast during the approach.
- Crucially, the pilot never attempted a missed approach, and in the final moments, adding full power at low altitude and near stall speed induced an unrecoverable upset and severe right roll.
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