Answer:
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father, a mechanical engineer in the oil fields of Canada, the summer following his parents' divorce. This is his first time flying in a single-engine Cessna 406 bush plane.
On their way to the airport, Brian's mother gives him a hatchet. It's outfitted with a steel handle and a rubber handgrip. The leather holder comes equipped with a loop for his belt. He doesn't want to wear it, but she is so insistent that he relents. The secret knowledge of his mother's infidelity has made him sullen and quiet. He ignores her when she asks him, what's wrong.
The pilot allows him to try the controls and fly the plane himself. He enjoys the experience, but then something went off course. The pilot has a heart attack and the plane suddenly crashes.
I'm sorry if I'm wrong, i hope this is the book your talking about.