The crew of a Buffalo Airways DC-3 (C-GJKM) was described as “safe” after a forced landing north of Hay River on Friday. The aircraft departed Hay River for Yellowknife at 7:41 a.m. and the crew reported mechanical issues a short time later. They turned back to Hay River but told air traffic control they weren’t sure if they would make the field. They put down in an open area about five nautical miles north of the airport. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
The nature of the mechanical problem wasn’t immediately released. There are no roads to the crash scene so RCMP and Canadian Rangers used ATVs to go and pick up the crew. The Transportation Safety Board hasn’t yet decided if the incident warrants an investigation.