November CF-18 crash preliminary report

On November 28th, 2016, a pair of CF-18s operating as Swift 31 and Swift 32 departed Cold Lake Airport. Their mission was to perform an unopposed air interdiction continuation training mission. The mission required them to drop two inert Mk83 bombs, followed by two Laser Guided Training Rounds. During the escape maneuver, Swift 32 impacted the ground, killing the pilot instantly.

Based on ACMI data, it appears that when Swift 32 released his LGTR, and began the escape, which called for a 5G, 70 degree bank through a 90 degree heading change, he actually pulled 5.6Gs, and reached 118 degrees of bank, and a Flight Path Angle of -18 degrees. Just before impact, the aircraft rolled to 77 degrees bank and -15 degrees.

www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca.../izkjob7m

You'll have to copy and paste the link to read the article.

The aircraft initially gained 50 feet of altitude before the nose of the aircraft began to slice towards and then below the horizon, eventually reaching a flight path angle (FPA) of minus 18 degrees. The aircraft then began rolling right and the bank angle reduced to 77 degrees left bank, and the FPA reduced to minus 15 degrees just prior to ground impact.

Sounds like he caught it and then something let go after the 50 foot rcovery.Hi speed stall?

a reply to: Blackfinger

When he rolled too far, there was an initial bump in altitude, followed by it falling off because he wasn't generating lift due to the extreme angle of the aircraft.

originally posted by: Blackfinger

The aircraft initially gained 50 feet of altitude before the nose of the aircraft began to slice towards and then below the horizon, eventually reaching a flight path angle (FPA) of minus 18 degrees. The aircraft then began rolling right and the bank angle reduced to 77 degrees left bank, and the FPA reduced to minus 15 degrees just prior to ground impact.

Sounds like he caught it and then something let go after the 50 foot rcovery.Hi speed stall?

He banked too hard. At 118 deg you are heading down. And at 500 feet there is not much space to recover.

The report shows that there was snow on ground and an overcast cloud layer, disorientation maybe?

a reply to: moebius

Yeah, he may have lost the horizon because it blended, and didn't watch his instruments.