Beaver Tails master index

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1604
CF-MPQ at Regina, Saskatchewan. Home of the RCMP.
Photo: Bill Sawchuk © 23 July 1974
Photo: Robert Wheeler © June 1973 - via Kenneth I. Swartz
CF-MPQ in earlier RCMP scheme, at Regina.
Photo: Robert Wheeler © October 1972 - via Kenneth I. Swartz
Photo: Bill Sawchuk © 21 August 1970
CF-MPQ all shined up at Winnipeg - CYWK, Manitoba.
Photo: Tim Martin © 12 August 1972 via AirHistory.net

1604

CF-MPQ

C-FMPQ (2)

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CF-MPQ (2) Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Air Services, Ottawa, ON. Delivery date 03-Aug-1966.

Note: Code-named “Quail,” associated with the last letter of the registration.

C-FMPQ (2) Regn format changed prior to 31-Dec-1976.

C-FMPQ (2) Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Air Services, Ottawa, ON. Regn date currently unknown. On CCAR at May-1981. Canx as destroyed 24-Mar-1988.

Accident: Glaslyn, SK. 09-Apr-1980 The following is a report by Randall T. Prokopanko who was on board the aircraft at the time of the accident and we are indebted to him for providing this factual personal account of the incident, which must have been quite traumatic at the time.

Memo to O i/c Crime Detection Laboratory-Regina

Re: Airplane Accident, C-FMPQ

Glaslyn, Saskatchewan 1980-04-09

This is to advise you of my involvement in the above incident.

April 9th, 1980, I was required for a court case in Spiritwood, SK., on a murder preliminary along with S/Sgt. Kirby of the Firearms Section. I was also required in Glaslyn, Sask., for a Sec. 236 C.C.C. trial that same day and arrangements were made to travel via the Force airplane to testify in Glaslyn in the morning, then fly to Spiritwood for the second trial in the afternoon.

S/Cst. Hardie was the pilot of C-FMPQ, the single engine Beaver, and along with S/Sgt. Kirby we left Regina at 08:30 hr. The flight from Regina to the Glaslyn area was typical and uneventful. Upon coming within sight of Glaslyn, the pilot contacted the local detachment and arranged for someone to pick us up from the airstrip, which is one kilometre north of the townsite. The area had received snow a few days earlier and because the Beaver did not have skis on at that time and the field was snow-covered, we made an extremely low level pass over the field to determine if it was suitable to land.

Upon being satisfied the field was suitable to land we circled the area and came in for the landing. I was seated in the forward cabin in the right seat next to the pilot and S/Sgt. Kirby was seated directly behind the pilot. As I as wearing only shoes and did not have any boots, I was watching the wheel out my window to see how deep the snow was. I observed the wheel touchdown and run along the top of the snow, then felt the plane lurch. I looked up through the front window just as the plan flipped and the next thing we were stopped and upside down.

We were all wearing lap seat belts and we all remained in our original places. S/Cst. Hardie quickly checked to see if we were hurt at all. I as OK and a verbal reply from S/Sgt. Kirby indicated he was unhurt, as well. I then looked back towards S/Sgt. Kirby to check him and noticed he was literally covered in a light sandy-coloured liquid. After repeated questions, he assured me he was not hurt. The liquid later turned out to be engine oil which was stored behind the back seat and which had broken during the accident, spilling over S/Sgt. Kirby.

S/Cst. Hardie warned us not to let ourselves out of our seatbelts and that he would help us. After he freed himself from his seatbelt, I braced myself and S/Cst. Hardie removed my seatbelt. As the starboard strut had buckled, my door was pinched closed by the wing and I could not open it and we had to exit through the pilot-side door. We then helped S/Sgt. Kirby out of the back seat and he passed out our papers for court and a few jackets. We then stepped back from the plane.

By this time, Cpl A. Coleman from Glaslyn Detachment was at the scene and after checking that we were all unhurt, drove us to his detachment office. Later that day I gave my evidence on the trial in Glaslyn but we were not required in Spiritwood as the accused changed his plea. Cst. Ken Matechuk, North Battleford Highway Patrol, then drove us from Glaslyn to North Battleford where the Twin Otter, C-FMPC was waiting and returned S/Cst. Hardie, S/Sgt. Kirby and myself to Regina.

Again, I will point out that I did not receive any personal injury whatsoever from this incident. My black leather jacket, which was in the back seat next to S/Sgt. Kirby, was splashed with oil, as was the back of my head but both were easily cleaned and with no damage.

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to S/Cst. Hardie for his assistance in removing me from the plane and admiration of his conduct throughout this incident. S/Cst. Hardie was calm and kept a cool head, which was reassuring to me especially immediately after the incident. I would also like to thank Cpl. Coleman and the members of Glaslyn Detachment for their help in cleaning us up back at the Detachment.

Randall T. Prokopanko, C/M  Alcohol Section,

Scroll down to see photos below by Marv Stene, kindly supplied by Doug Stene.

Accident: 1 mi. N of Wollaston Lake Ice Strip, Saskatchewan. Lat 58.06'N, Long 103 11'W 08-Jan-1986. At 1300 central standard time (CST), on 08 January 1986, a wheel/ski-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver), C-FMPQ, departed the Welcome Bay ice strip at Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan. This was the second leg of a flight that originated at La Ronge, Saskatchewan. On board were two Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) pilots, another member of the force, and an inspector from the Saskatchewan Department of Public Works. Witnesses stated that the aircraft took off normally, levelled momentarily, then climbed steeply into cloud Moments later, they heard the engine noise increase abruptly, then decrease rapidly, followed by a sound similar to a backfire. When the aircraft reappeared, it was in a steep, nose down, right-wing-low attitude. It crashed on the ice, one mile north of Welcome Bay; all four occupants sustained fatal injuries.  

Cause-Related Findings 1. Aircraft control was lost for undetermined reasons..2 Other Findings 1. The pilot departed Wollaston Lake into known icing conditions in an aircraft that was not certified for flight into such conditions. 2. There was no evidence of any airframe failure or system malfunction prior to or during the flight. 3. The flight crew was certified and qualified for the flight in accordance with existing regulations. 4. The aircraft was certified, equipped, and maintained in accordance with existing regulations and approved procedures. 5. The aircraft's weight and centre of gravity were within the prescribed limits.

Fate Unknown

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Photos: Marv Stene © 09 Aprril 1980 - via Doug Stene.