Vancouver Joins Montreal, Toronto, Quebec in Shocking Emergency Landings Across Canada Raising New Concerns for Future Air Travel: What You Need to Know

Published on December 4, 2025

Between January 2021 and November 2025, several emergency landings occurred across Canadian cities due to various factors, including engine failures, fuel starvation, and mechanical issues. Notable incidents include a Bell 212 helicopter forced landing in British Columbia due to turbulence and an engine failure. In 2021, a Jazz Aviation flight experienced a fuel imbalance, leading to a diversion to Los Angeles International Airport. In 2022, a small aircraft was forced to land on Highway 117 near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, after an engine failure. Another emergency landing in Nunavut occurred in 2025 when a Pilatus aircraft experienced engine failure while on a flight. Incidents like these underline the importance of safety protocols, proper checklist use, and training for pilots, who often have to make quick decisions under challenging conditions. These events also emphasize the need for rapid response from ground teams to ensure minimal injuries and damage.

In early 2021, Canada saw several serious aviation emergencies. On 5 March 2021, a Bell 212 helicopter operated by Airspan Helicopters encountered severe turbulence and wind shear while flying from Sechelt to Cypress Provincial Park in British Columbia. The helicopter experienced an uncommanded right roll and the No. 2 engine shut down. The crew attempted to land on Bowen Island, but the helicopter’s controls remained difficult to manipulate; during the descent it began a rapid rotation and collided with trees on a rocky ridge. Both pilots were seriously injured, and the helicopter was heavily damaged but there was no post‑impact fire[1].

Two months later, on 11 May 2021, a Héli‑Express AS350 B2 helicopter in Les Escoumins, Quebec, had a sling load strike its tail rotor. The pilot released the load and attempted to make an emergency landing on a dirt landing strip. During the approach the helicopter experienced yaw control problems and touched down hard on rugged terrain. The pilot sustained serious injuries[2][3]. Another emergency occurred on 2 October 2021 when a Cessna 172 towing a banner near Montréal lost engine power. The pilot tried to land on Pierre‑Dupuy Avenue, but the left wing hit treetops; the aircraft cartwheeled and crashed, killing a passenger and badly injuring the pilot[4].

On 29 November 2021, a Jazz Aviation Bombardier CRJ‑705 (CL‑600‑2D24) operating from Vancouver to Boston took off from a runway at a slight angle and struck runway lights. The misaligned take‑off punctured the wing and caused a fuel imbalance. During the climb the crew shut down one engine and declared an emergency; they diverted to Los Angeles and landed safely[5]. Another incident on 1 November 2021 involved an Air Tindi De Havilland DHC‑6 Twin Otter flying from Yellowknife to Fort Simpson. The crew realized they did not have enough fuel to reach their destination or return to the departure airport, so they diverted toward Fort Providence. One engine was shut down to conserve fuel, but the remaining engine flamed out and the aircraft was forced to land on muskeg about 14 km northwest of Fort Providence. All occupants were rescued with minor injuries and mild hypothermia[6].

2022: Forced landings and emergency manoeuvres

The following year saw firefighting and community missions disrupted by mechanical failures. On 2 August 2022, an Air Tractor AT‑802A water bomber fighting a wildfire near Connell Ridge, British Columbia, lost engine power. Unable to restore power, the pilot selected a re‑forested area and performed an emergency landing in the trees. The aircraft was heavily damaged, but the pilot escaped with minor injuries[7]. Later that summer, a privately registered Cessna 172P approaching Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, experienced engine sputtering. The pilot attempted an emergency landing but touched down beyond the mid‑point of the runway and lifted off again. In the steep right turn that followed, the aircraft descended rapidly and crashed, seriously injuring the pilot[8].

Not all 2022 emergencies involved crash landings. On 1 September 2022, a Canadian Coast Guard Bell 429 on a long‑line mission near Puvirnituq Airport, Quebec, experienced unresponsive flight controls. The pilot initiated an emergency landing; the helicopter rolled onto its side but there were no injuries[9]. Another occurrence happened in Rouyn‑Noranda, Quebec, on 22 October 2022 when a small aircraft performed an emergency landing on Route 117; investigators were dispatched to gather information[10].

A notable maintenance error led to an emergency landing later identified in 2024 but relating to an incident in July 2022. A pilot departed London International Airport, Ontario, in a United States‑registered airplane when the aircraft suddenly yawed left. Maintenance personnel had rigged the rudder cables incorrectly, causing the rudder to deflect opposite to the pilot’s input. The pilot attempted to land on Runway 27 but, still unable to control the aircraft, landed on grass between the runway and taxiway. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged[11].

2023: Technical failures and safe emergency landings

The year 2023 brought a mix of successful emergency landings and unfortunate crashes. On 27 January 2023, a Cessna 560 en route from Toronto to White Plains, New York, experienced violent vibration when its engine cowl doors detached. The crew regained control, declared an emergency and diverted to Buffalo, New York, landing without injury[12]. Another corporate aircraft, a Piper PA‑31‑350 flying near Winnipeg on 2 November 2023, developed a fuel‑level warning. As the pilot diverted toward St. Andrews Airport, the left engine ran out of fuel and the right engine began to sputter. The pilot made a successful emergency landing on a gravel road and all aboard were unharmed[13].

Other 2023 emergencies ended with serious damage. On 18 December 2023, a Grumman G‑21A Goose seaplane operated by Wilderness Seaplanes departed Bella Bella, British Columbia. Both engines lost power shortly after take‑off. After issuing a MAYDAY call, the pilot landed in a forested area. All occupants sustained minor injuries and managed to exit the aircraft[14]. In April that year, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pilatus PC‑12/47E departing Whitehorse encountered a stall warning right after take‑off. The pilot attempted to return to the runway but the aircraft struck terrain near the displaced threshold and was destroyed; the pilot was seriously injured but evacuated via the emergency exit[15].

2024: Frequent forced landings across the country

Mechanical problems continued to plague flights in 2024. On 13 April 2024, a Keewatin Air Beechcraft B200 King Air left Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, bound for Ottawa. Shortly after take‑off, an engine fire indication prompted the crew to declare an emergency and shut down the engine. They returned to Goose Bay and landed safely on one engine, though the aircraft overran the runway; neither crew nor passengers were injured[16].

During a flight from Saint‑Georges‑de‑Beauce to Sherbrooke, Quebec, on 10 May 2024, a Piper PA‑32‑260 Cherokee Six experienced dropping oil pressure and eventual engine seizure. The pilot broadcast a distress call and conducted an emergency landing in a field near Sherbrooke. The aircraft struck trees and was destroyed, and the occupants suffered injuries[17]. On 20 June 2024, a Heli Explore AS350 B2 helicopter was long‑lining near Wawa, Ontario, when the load began to swing violently. After releasing the load and trying to land, the rotor blades hit trees and the helicopter was destroyed; the pilot sustained minor injuries and called for help with a satellite phone[18].

Fuel mismanagement caused more emergencies. On 29 August 2024, a Simpson Air DHC‑2 Beaver floatplane operating near Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, exhausted its fuel supply. The pilot turned toward the Mackenzie Highway, broadcast a Mayday call and successfully landed on the highway with no injuries; the floatplane sustained minor damage[19]. Just over a week later, on 7 May 2024, a Pilatus PC‑12/47 operated by Kudlik Aviation was descending toward Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, when its engine failed. With little time to respond, the crew declared a Mayday, retracted the landing gear and landed on sea ice about 5 nautical miles east of the airport. Emergency crews responded quickly and there were no injuries[20].

2025: Final investigations and continuing safety focus

Events through November 2025 reflect both the ongoing dangers and the importance of checklists and maintenance quality. Investigation reports released in 2025 continued to analyse earlier occurrences, such as the 2024 sea‑ice landing and the 2024 Mackenzie Highway forced landing. They also highlighted incidents like the July 2022 rudder‑rigging error that led to a grass landing in London, Ontario[11] and the fuel starvation forced landing near Fort Providence in 2021[6]. No major new emergency landings within Canada were publicly reported during the first eleven months of 2025, but the Transportation Safety Board urged operators to maintain adherence to checklists and proper maintenance to prevent similar emergencies.

Patterns and safety lessons

Across these years, some common themes emerge. Fuel management issues—whether miscalculations (Air Tindi Twin Otter, 2021; Piper PA‑31‑350, 2023) or inaccurate fuel gauge readings (DHC‑2 Beaver, 2024)—resulted in forced landings. Mechanical failures (sling‑load strike, engine fire, engine seizures) and maintenance errors (reversed rudder cables) triggered emergency landings or attempts to return to the airport. Environmental factors, such as wind shear and turbulence, also played a role (Bowen Island helicopter crash). Training and quick decision‑making were critical: pilots who promptly broadcast distress calls, selected suitable landing sites, and followed emergency checklists minimized injuries and damage, as demonstrated by the Simpson Air floatplane and the Kudlik PC‑12 sea‑ice landing. Meanwhile, attempts to improvise or delay decisions sometimes led to crashes. The Transportation Safety Board’s investigations consistently emphasise the need for strict adherence to checklists, comprehensive maintenance procedures, and robust training for handling emergencies.

[1] Air transportation safety investigation A21P0018 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[2] [3] Air transportation safety investigation report A21Q0024 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[4] Air transportation safety investigation A21Q0092 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[5] In-flight fuel imbalance led to diversion and emergency landing of Canadian air carrier at Los Angeles International Airport – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[6] Air transportation safety investigation A21W0098 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[7] Loss of engine power led to forced landing during firefighting operations near Connell Ridge, BC – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[8] Air transportation safety investigation A22P0061 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[9] Air transportation safety investigation A22Q0107 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[10] TSB deploys a team of investigators following an emergency landing on Route 117 in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[11] Undetected aircraft maintenance error led to loss of control and collision with terrain at London International Airport, Ontario – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[12] In-flight detachment of left-engine cowl doors led to loss of control and emergency landing – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[13] Air transportation safety investigation A23C0104 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[14] Air transportation safety investigation A23P0153 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[15] Air transportation safety investigation report A23W0040 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[16] Air transportation safety investigation A24A0014 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[17] Air transportation safety investigation A24Q0053 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[18] Air transportation safety investigation A24O0070 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[19] Air transportation safety investigation report A24W0116 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada

[20] Air transportation safety investigation A24C0042 – Transportation Safety Board of Canada