"All Sea King helicopters grounded after N.S. incident"

[The Bread Guy]

This from CBC.ca:

All Canadian Sea King helicopters have been grounded pending an investigation into an incident late Monday night at a Canadian Forces Base near Halifax, the Department of National Defence has announced.

A Sea King helicopter struck the tarmac with its main rotors just before midnight Monday during a landing at CFB Shearwater in Eastern Passage, N.S., after a training flight.

DND confirmed that the helicopter experienced a “flight safety occurrence.”

The CBC’s Paul Withers reports a hangar on the air base was also damaged by the debris. The rotors were sheared off.

DND said the four crew members aboard the aircraft were not injured ....

A bit more detail from the Halifax Chronicle-Herald:

All flights in and out of 12 Wing Shearwater have been suspended after one of its aging Sea King helicopters tipped over as it landed Monday night.

“There were four people on the helicopter — no injuries which was a miracle because the helicopter is a write-off,” a source at 12 Wing Shearwater told thechronicleherald.ca.

Public affairs officer Lieut. Len Hickey confirmed that all flights in and out of 12 Wing Shearwater have been suspended as the investigation continues.

Hickey said the chopper “safely landed and it taxied onto the ramp and what happened was the tail rotor lifted and the main rotor actually made contact with the ground.” The incident happened at 11:43 p.m.

“Obviously, there’s some significant damage to the helicopter and some of the nearby buildings.”

Hickey said the crew was examined by medical staff and released with no injuries.

A source who works at the base told the chronicleherald.ca that the chopper had returned from a routine night flying exercise when trouble began.

“The Sea King started to lift over onto its side and the ground crew had to run. It basically just went over on its side and you can see shrapnel through ... the hangar.”

He said the crew hadn’t reported any difficulty until the landing, just as two ground crew members were about to put wood chocks behind and in front of its wheels to prevent it from rolling.

“That’s when everything went haywire,” he said.

The Sea King wasn’t far from a hangar at the time.

“It even sent shrapnel through one of the doors of the hangar, piercing a pipe on the opposite side of the hangar,” the source said.

The director of flight safety is heading the investigation into the incident ....

Good to hear nobody was injured.

 

[jacob_ns]

Just as an FYI, the comments from the Chronicle Herald were leaked to the media and aren't that accurate.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Just as an FYI, the comments from the Chronicle Herald were leaked to the media and aren't that accurate.

Good point - most people here take most media coverage with a grain of salt, but probably more so coverage with un-named sources.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I'm glad as well that no one was injured, it could have been very messy.  I'm sure the investigation will quickly get to the heart of the matter.

 

[AirDet]

This is a good time not to hold the Flight Safety Investigation qual and Seaking quals. Mind you, this is the best time of year to visit Halifax.

Another testament to the solid build of the old girl... nobody was injured. Try that in a Griffon.

 

[AirDet]

Does anyone have any more information on the Sea King Crash on the tarmac in 12 Wing? CBC shows only 2 pictures.

It kind of reminds me of what happened to the S-61 operated by Coulson Helo Logging in the mid-90s. They came to the first Sea King Symposium hoping we had some answers for them. They weren't so lucky as this crew; theirs was fatal.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Before anyone gets the bright idea to post any information in response to this thread, the only authorized spokesperson in this matter is Commander, 12 Wing.

 

[jacob_ns]

Before anyone gets the bright idea to post any information in response to this thread, the only authorized spokesperson in this matter is Commander, 12 Wing.

This is pretty much all there is to say.

I nearly choked when I saw the photos on Facebook this morning, before I knew they were released by DND. I though someone was in for a world of hurt.

 

[AirDet]

Somebody released pictures? Hmmm. Maybe they should be not so subtly reminded that taking pictures on a defense installation is not only forbidden with out authority but it's also illegal.

 

[PuckChaser]

Somebody released pictures? Hmmm. Maybe they should be not so subtly reminded that taking pictures on a defense installation is not only forbidden with out authority but it's also illegal.

You go ahead and recommend charges to the PAffO that released them.  :

 

[cupper]

This is pretty much all there is to say.

I nearly choked when I saw the photos on Facebook this morning, before I knew they were released by DND. I though someone was in for a world of hurt.

Somebody released pictures? Hmmm. Maybe they should be not so subtly reminded that taking pictures on a defense installation is not only forbidden with out authority but it's also illegal.

You go ahead and recommend charges to the PAffO that released them.  :

Or at least learn to read the whole comment.

 

[cupper]

I suppose it's safe to say that this airframe will be retired rather than rebuilt, since we have new choppers coming on line at some point (maybe?, possibly?, eventually?, someday?)

 

[kratz]

I suppose it's safe to say that this airframe will be retired rather than rebuilt, since we have new choppers coming on line at some point (maybe?, possibly?, eventually?, someday?)

The procurement process has delayed the final purchase 23 years already.
In Ottawa time, this means we will see replacements on deck in 2044.
(about 16 years before the new ships arrive)

 

[JorgSlice]

The procurement process has delayed the final purchase 23 years already.
In Ottawa time, this means we will see replacements on deck in 2044.
(about 16 years before the new ships arrive)

Knowing PWGSC, 2043 will arrive and they'll cancel the whole thing only to purchase a patchwork hybrid of old condemned models of Blackhawks, Sea Kings, and Cyclones. Which will also be delayed for decades.

 

[cupper]

Well, in the interim we could always rent out the flight deck of the frigates to the allies whilst sailing the high seas.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Well, in the interim we could always rent out the flight deck of the frigates to the allies whilst sailing the high seas.

Hey hey now.  That'd get in the way of Banyans.

 

[PuckChaser]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/sea-king-helicopters-cleared-to-fly-after-grounding-1.1375552

Seakings back in the air. Until one crashes again.

 

[cupper]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/sea-king-helicopters-cleared-to-fly-after-grounding-1.1375552

Seakings back in the air. Until one crashes again.

Don't you mean hundreds of loose parts flying in formation?

 

[PuckChaser]

Don't you mean hundreds of loose parts flying in formation?

I thought the gun tape held them all together so they weren't loose....

 

[dapaterson]

For those interested:  CBC has posted two of the photos.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/07/18/ns-seaking-photos-crash.html