N.W.T. plane crash report finds that pilots were likely preoccupied with stuck wheel

A report into a plane crash in the Northwest Territories where the sole survivor was ejected from the wreckage has found that the pilots likely got preoccupied with retracting one of the aircraft’s stuck wheels and didn’t notice they were losing altitude.

Two crew and five passengers were aboard the British Aerospace Jetstream 3212 on Jan. 23, 2024, operated by Northwestern Air Lease, when it took off from Fort Smith, N.W.T., bound for the Diavik Diamond Mine.

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft descended and struck trees approximately 800 metres from the end of the runway, killing both pilots and four passengers. 

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada report posted online this week says the captain intentionally kept the plane’s pitch low and speed high during takeoff to remove snow that may have accumulated on the plane.

But when the first officer tried to raise the landing gear, the report says, the cold weather and extra drag on the wheels caused by the high speed meant one of the wheels — likely the left one — got stuck and wouldn’t retract. 

The report says the pilots reduced power to the engines to slow the plane down but failed to notice the plane was losing altitude until right before hitting the trees.

Due to the low-pitch takeoff, the report says, the plane was only 140 feet off the ground when it started dropping.

“The captain and first officer were likely preoccupied with the abnormal main landing gear indication and the aircraft’s airspeed and did not notice the aircraft’s loss of altitude until immediately before impact,” the TSB report says.

“As a result, the aircraft impacted trees and terrain 10 seconds after the descent began.”

A fire consumed much of the aircraft’s fuselage. Army Rangers rushed to the crash site on snowmobiles after the plane went down, along with EMS, hoping to provide aid.

The passenger who survived suffered minor injuries, the report says.

The report says tests by the TSB lab determined the plane’s aerodynamic performance was not significantly affected by snow on the wings and other critical surfaces, although it notes risk rises when pilots don’t make sure critical surfaces are clear of contaminants before flight.

The investigation also found that prior problems with the plane’s left landing gear failing to fully retract weren’t recorded in the aircraft’s log. The report warns that if pilots don’t report defects, they don’t get fixed.

“Because this issue did not arise on every flight, the consensus within the company was that it did not constitute a flight safety concern that warranted being entered in the aircraft’s technical records,” the report states, noting crews came up with a workaround to get the gear to lock in its retracted position.

“Given that this workaround had consistently produced successful results on other flights conducted before the occurrence and had allowed the pilots on those flights to continue without any further issues, it reinforced the benign nature of both the issue and the adaptation.”

The investigation also determined that the monitoring roles and responsibilities during a departure were not explicitly defined in Northwestern Air Lease Ltd.’s manuals. 

Brian Harrold, owner of Northwestern Air Lease, said Thursday that he was told by his lawyer not to comment on the crash, since he said the matter is before the courts.

The report says Northwestern Air Lease amended its procedures manual for the Jetstream series 3100 and 3200 aircraft in October 2024 to clarify how and when pilots should address abnormal and emergency situations.

Two months later, the operator posted on Facebook that it was discontinuing scheduled flights and would be continuing flights in its Cessna aircraft.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2026.