The mysterious crash of an Air Saguenay Beaver in a remote Labrador lake has prompted a lawsuit in which the plaintiffs plan to use “probable inference” to press their case for damages from the airline. The wreckage hasn’t been found and neither have the bodies of three of the seven people on board which means the cause of the crash and the circumstances preceding it will likely never be known. But the family of passenger Clifford Randell plans to try to convince the court that the “substandard skill” of the 16,000-hour pilot and potential deficiencies with the apparently well maintained aircraft were behind the accident. “There may be other possible explanations for the crash, but the most likely explanation is negligence in the operation and maintenance of the DHC- 2 Beaver,” the statement of claim alleges.
The plane, flown by Gilles Morin, left Three Rivers Lodge, near Schefferville, for Mistastin Lake on July 15 carrying four American tourists from the lodge, Randell, a fishing guide and his colleague Wayne Winsor. About the only flight detail that can be ascertained with any certainty is that the weather in Nain, Labrador, about 100 kilometres northeast of the lake, showed light winds and mostly clear conditions at the approximate time of the crash. Randell’s family is suing for loss of care and companionship, loss of financial support and burial and funeral costs.