Having served with Air BC and predecessor AirWest since 1971, C-FAWC is pictured in it's last year of service. The aircraft was sold to North Cariboo Flying Services (North Cariboo Air) in March 1989.

Delivered to Executive Airlines in March 1968, this Twin Otter soon went to AirWest as CF-AWC in 1971. Re-named Air BC at the end of 1980, the aircraft flew commuter services for CP Air (1983 - 87) and Air Canada (1987 - 89) when it was sold to North Cariboo Air in March 1989. First leased to Liard Air (May and June 2001), the airline bought the Twin Otter in December 2001 and new colors featured a view on the tail of Liard Air's Beaver flying over the Northern Rockies Lodge at Muncho Lake BC. Sadly, the aircraft crashed on take-off at Muncho Lakes' gravel strip on July 8, 2007 and burned.

AirWest Airlines introduced this new color scheme in the summer of 1979. When a new owner amalgamated several airlines (including AirWest) into Air BC, it became the new airline color scheme. This Twin Otter must have been one of the first with new titles, as they are a "skinny" version of those that followed on other aircraft. CF-AWC / C-FAWC was in the Air West Airlines / Air BC fleet 1971 - 89.

Pictured in the new Airwest color scheme, the airline would change their name to Air BC in 1980 as several coastal British Columbia airlines merged together. This Twin Otter would fly on with several other BC airlines until coming to an untimely end in July 2007. It was destroyed when it crashed on takeoff from the gravel airstrip at Muncho Lake, BC and was consumed by a post crash fire.

Crashed at Mucho Lake, British Columbia, July 8, 2007

CF-AWC crashed at Muncho Lake, British Columbia, on July 8, 2007. Photo from: Roger McDonald Collection

It's a constant battle with corrosion when flying in a salt water environment. Air West bought this 1968 Twin Otter in December 1971 when Executive Airlines, the original owner, sought bankruptcy protection.