The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has found that the service’s AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter crashed owing to a malfunction with the pilot’s seat, according to a study provided the RCAF.
On March 10, 2022, a plane crashed at Gander International Airport (YQX).
At the completion of a training trip, the helicopter, which had a crew of six, was hovering above the airport. “The pilot flying’s seat unexpectedly sank to its lowest position” as the plane made its last spin before landing, according to the report.
Before impacting the runway with its tail and rotor blades, the helicopter reversed its turn, yawed hard left, and became unstable.
Two personnel were seriously injured, and three others had minor injuries, according to the report. Four people were sent to the hospital.
The AgustaWestland AW101 medium-lift helicopter is renamed the CH-149 Cormorant in Canada. Prior to the incident, the RCAF had 14 of these planes in service.
Another CH-149 crashed in 2006, killing three servicemen and injuring four others due to pilot error.
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