An investigation by the Department of National Defence’s Airworthiness Investigative Authority into the crash of a Cormorant belonging to 9 Wing Gander last year has wrapped up with several recommendations to prevent similar mistakes.

The chopper crashed on the runway at Gander International on March 10, 2022. Four of the six occupants received minor injuries while the other two had serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed but there was no post-crash fire.

The training mission was primarily focused on overland search and rescue evolutions for the flight engineer under training.

The pilot’s seat unexpectedly rapidly descended and for about two seconds, the chopper was bouncing and vibrating, resulting in spatial disorientation of the pilot who was flying.

The investigation determined that a combination of factors allowed the seat to be a false lock position. The change in roll attitude likely rendered the helicopter unrecoverable.