Investigation into military helicopter crash likely to take months
Team of 16 investigators could remain on site for up to 2 weeks
The investigation into the deaths of two military personnel near Garrison Petawawa on Tuesday is expected to be a months-long inquiry, including a team of 16 investigators that will work at the site for up to two weeks collecting evidence.
The Department of National Defence (DND) has said a CH-147F Chinook carrying four Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members on a training flight crashed into the Ottawa River near Garrison Petawawa just after midnight Tuesday.
One day later, DND confirmed two personnel reported missing had been found dead.
The investigation into the fatal crash has begun, and any flight safety investigation will focus on two main questions: what happened, and what was the cause, said Randall Wakelam, a retired CAF colonel and associate professor emeritus at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont.
"The first answer will take weeks, probably," said Wakelam.
While his flying days ended in 1993, Wakelam acted as a flight safety officer, dealing with a non-fatal crash during his time with the 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Edmonton.
Later in his career — returning to the squadron but this time as commanding officer — another crash occurred, and Wakelam lost a colleague.
"I got to watch the whole process from outside of the flight safety system," he said.
Wakelam said the flight safety officer at 450 Squadron would have taken some immediate actions following the crash early Tuesday morning, including quarantining the aircraft, its parts, any data recording devices and all aircraft maintenance records.
He also believes the squadron would have filed a preliminary report in the first 24 hours.
WATCH | Helicopter crash investigation begins:
Recovery of aircraft still underway
Michael Hood, a retired senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer who was commander from 2015 until 2018, said his first priority would be to ensure personnel and others dealing with the loss are supported.
Hood would then turn his attention to the fleet itself, the 14 other Chinooks.
"As we get more pieces of understanding of what caused the accident, [it] would give us greater confidence in how to move forward with continuing to use that fleet," he said.
National Defence Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday the fleet will pause operations out of respect, but won't be grounded.
The CH-147F Chinook helicopter is equipped with a black box, according to a department spokesperson, and obtaining and analyzing its information is part of the investigation.
"The CH-147F has very modern flight data recorders to provide parameters on everything from the rotor to the engine," Hood said. "So they'll have all the information to help fill in the pieces."
As of Wednesday afternoon, the department said the cause of the crash remains unclear, and recovery of the wreckage continues.
Almost immediately following the crash, the Royal Canadian Air Force headquarters in Ottawa would have been engaged, Wakelam said.
The air force's Directorate of Flight Safety is responsible for independently investigating matters concerning aviation safety. Its team would have arrived at the scene between 12 and 24 hours after the crash and assumed responsibility for the site once it was deemed safe.
Investigative team
DND said the directorate's team of approximately 16 people includes investigators, medical advisors, a fleet operations advisor, and a technical and engineering adviser.
The field phase of the investigation, with the directorate at the lead, typically lasts one or two weeks. During that time, investigators conduct interviews, take photos and collect debris.
The investigation is important. ... But taking care of the people has to come first.- Randall Wakelam, retired CAF colonel
A thorough examination of the evidence then follows, according to DND.
Eventually a summary of facts and key focuses will be published on the directorate's website. A final report — including factors that led to the crash, preventative measures that were taken and recommendations for the future — will follow.
DND said it's too early to provide a timeline on when that report will be published. Wakelam said it could take as long as 12 months, with Hood echoing that each investigation plays out differently.
Wakelam and Hood said the two survivors, who suffered minor injuries, can provide insight on what happened in the moments before the crash.
WATCH | Helicopter crash 'an anomaly,' retired general says:
Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner is also investigating the two deaths in conjunction with DND.
Having lost a member of his squadron before, Wakelam said it's important to remember to take care of the survivors, families and colleagues during this time.
Victims' families will decide whether a military funeral is held, said Wakelam.
The DND spokesperson said support is being provided to the families and it will respect their wishes in the planning of funerals and any ceremonies, with more information expected in the coming days.
Families have asked the department to withhold the victims' names at this time.
"The investigation is important," Wakelam said. "But taking care of the people has to come first."
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