RCAF Cyclone down

An RCAF CH-148 Cyclone, operating from the Frigate HMCS Fredericton, as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, crashed in the Ionian Sea during an exercise. Fredericton, along with an Italian and Turkish frigate is conducting a search for the crew. It's being reported six were on board.

The CH-148 is built by Sikorsky, and is based on their S-92 design. It has a troubled history, with the initial contract signed in 2004, but first flight not occurring until 2008, and first delivery in 2015. The Cyclone was selected to replace the Canadian Sea King helicopters.

www.cbc.ca...

I pray for the crew. I hope they are all found quickly, and safe....

originally posted by: maryjo44
I pray for the crew. I hope they are all found quickly, and safe....

I echo that sentiment.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Image to put a face to the name.

a reply to: Zaphod58

HMCS Fredericton.

Greek broadcaster ERT is reporting that one body has been recovered.

I pray for the crew and their families, so sad.

They were saying one female crew member on the news this morning. I didn't catch her name.

a reply to: LeviB

Abbigail Cowbrough.

The missing are-

Captain Brenden Ian MacDonald, Pilot, originally from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
Captain Kevin Hagen, Pilot, originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia
Captain Maxime Miron-Morin, Air Combat Systems Officer, originally from Trois-Rivières, Québec
Sub-Lieutenant Matthew Pyke, Naval Warfare Officer, originally from Truro, Nova Scotia
Master Corporal Matthew Cousins, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator, originally from Guelph, Ontario

www.canada.ca...

Sadly, at this point it's almost certainly a search and recovery, as the missing are almost certainly not going to be found alive. They are most likely still in the helicopter.

They show the area the Helicopter crashed further south, but it looks as though the Fredericton may have been off the coast of Tricase.

The Canadian Defense Department has declared the five missing as presumed dead.

www.google.com...

Flight recorder has been recovered.

www.ctvnews.ca...

It is officially now a recovery mission.

The Forces said in a statement Friday that the search for five Canadians service members had formally turned into "search and recovery efforts" instead of a rescue effort. The body of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough was previously recovered from the wreckage.

A Naval Sea System's Command salvage and recovery unit is being deployed from the US, with their equipment, to try to recover both the helicopter and the remains of the crew. It's believed the aircraft is at approximately 10,000 feet below the surface.

At the time of the accident, the aircraft had been flying alongside HMCS Fredericton, and had moved aft of the ship while preparing to practice deck hoisting. While in that position, the aircraft suddenly nosed into the water.

www.verticalmag.com...

While in that position, the aircraft suddenly nosed into the water.

That doesnt happen every day..

A combined USN and CAF recovery crew found large pieces of wreckage, and remains of the crew at approximately 10,300 feet.

defence.frontline.online...

RIP...

There was a conflict between the pilot and the software as the aircraft approached the ship. The flight management system has three settings, and the crew had it set to the highest of the three, which input a bias to the control system. As they were approaching the ship, the Flight Director overrode the pilot's input. Crews are now being trained to leave the system at the lowest level.

www.halifaxtoday.ca...

its a hard lesson to learn

The pilot overrode the autopilot for an extended time, while performing a "return to target" turn. The computer accumulates commands while the autopilot is being overridden, known as "command bias accumulation". As the pilot completed the right turn, the autopilot took command of the aircraft, without the pilot recognizing it, and flew the aircraft into the water. The pilot attempted to pull out until impact, but was unable to. During certification testing wasn't done to identify what would happen if the pilot overrode the autopilot for an extended period, and there were no explicit instructions to turn the flight director off instead of overriding the system.

www.cbc.ca...