Grumman G-21A accident near Vancouver, Ca, November 16, 2008
On November 16, 2008 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-21A, registered CFPCK, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Vancouver. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 7 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2008 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 2008
- Place
- Vancouver, Canada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-21A · all G-21As on the register
- Registration
- CFPCK · registered outside the United States · serial 1187
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 16, 2008, about 1030 pacific standard time, a Grumman G-21A airplane, Canadian registration C-FPCK, collided with tree-covered terrain about 40 miles northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Impact forces and a postimpact fire destroyed the airplane. The flight was conducted under the provisions of the Civil Aviation Regulations of Canada. Of the eight people aboard, the pilot and six passengers died at the scene, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. This report is for information purposes only. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and contains only the information released by, or obtained from the Government of Canada. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada Place du Centre 200 Promenade du Portage, 4th Floor Quebec K1A 1K8 Canada (819) 994-4252
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute
Crew member
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Pacific Coastal Airlines Ltd
The flight
- Departed from: CYVR Vancouver
- Destination: Toba Inlet
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Grumman G-21 35 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Grumman 443 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 1,593 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Vancouver International · departed from
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC09WA013.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.