A malfunctioning seat led to the loss of a CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue at Gander International Airport last month. Air Force investigators released their initial report on the crash, which injured five of the six crew on board, two of them seriously. The crew was doing some hover training when the seat failed. The aircraft ended up lying on its side with the tail broken off and all the rotor blades separated.
“During the final clockwise hover turn sequence, the pilot flying’s seat unexpectedly descended to its lowest position.The aircraft flight vector immediately reversed from a clockwise rotation to an accelerated counterclockwise left yaw about the aircraft mast,” and investigation report released Wednesday said. “As the aircraft continued to yaw left, the attitude of the aircraft became unstable resulting in an increasing right bank attitude. The aircraft rotated through approximately 400° and as the right rolling moment intensified, the right outboard wheel, the horizontal stabilizer assembly located on the right side of the tail section, and main rotor blades impacted the runway at 15:43 local time. There was no post-crash fire.”