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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - A plane suffered major damage after making a hard landing at Fort Smith Airport on Nov. 27.

No one was injured among the three passengers and two crew members on the Jetstream 31 operated by Northwestern Air Lease Ltd.

Brian Harrold, the company's co-owner, said the accident, which occurred at about 4:30 p.m., was the result of fog.

The pilot had to descend quickly through the fog, but didn't halt the descent quickly enough and hit the runway too hard.

Harrold said the landing gear under the left wing failed, although the landing gear under the nose of the plane and the right wing didn't fail.

The plane tipped to its left side and slid about 300 metres along the runway, he said. "It just kind of slid to a stop straight ahead."

The plane's left propeller, engine and landing gear were damaged.

Harrold said the cost of the damage could be in the $300,000 range.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the accident.

Harrold said Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. has not had such an accident in the past.

The plane was flying into Fort Smith from Hay River. Leaving Yellowknife in the morning bound for Fort Smith, it was diverted to Hay River because of weather.