West Air Sweden Flight 294 crashes near the Swedish reservoir of Akkajaure; both pilots, the only people on board, are killed.
West Air Sweden Flight 294
West Air Sweden Flight 294 was a cargo flight of a Bombardier CRJ200 from Oslo to Tromsø, Norway, that crashed on 8 January 2016. A malfunction in one of the inertial reference units had produced erroneous altitude indications on one of the instrument displays. The crew's subsequent response resulted in spatial disorientation, leading to the loss of control of the aircraft. Both crew members on board were killed.
Akkajaure
Akkajaure is one of the largest reservoirs in Sweden. It lies at the headwaters of the Lule River in Norrbotten County, in Swedish Lappland, within the Stora Sjöfallet national park. The lake formed after the construction of the first Suorva dam in 1913–1923. The rim of the current dam is at an elevation of 453 m (1,486 ft). When full, the lake's maximum depth is 92 m (302 ft), and its mean depth is about 30 m (98 ft). Because it is used for power generation, the lake depth fluctuates by up to 30 m (98 ft). On 8 January 2016, West Air Sweden Flight 294 crashed near Akkajaure, killing both crew members on board.
January 8
January 8 is the eighth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 357 days remain until the end of the year.