No injuries were reported after an RCAF Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter suffered a tail boom strike as it was landing on HMCS Ville de Québec, a Royal Canadian Navy frigate on duty in the Norwegian Sea. All four crewmembers quickly shut down the aircraft and subsequently evacuated it. The incident occurred during the night of October 6 but was reported to the public last week (Oct. 29).
According to the report, the Cyclone was coming in for a landing on the frigate when two main rotor blades struck the aircraft’s tail boom (the section extending to the rear, where the tail rotor is located). Several components were severed, including the tail rotor shaft.
Tail boom strikes are a rare event that could be the result of a variety of causes, such as an abrupt manoeuvre resulting from shifting winds. However, the root cause is still under investigation by the RCAF’s Directorate of Flight Safety.
“While no technical issues have been identified to date, the investigation remains ongoing and continues to focus on material and systems, environmental and human factors,” the report says.
The HMCS Ville de Québec was participating in NATO exercises over the summer as part of Operation Reassurance.
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