Clockwise from top left: Capt. Kevin Hagen, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, Capt. Brenden Ian MacDonald, Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins, Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke, Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin. (Department of National Defence)
By Scott Taylor
On June 25, the Royal Canadian Air Force released their final report on the April 29, 2020 CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crash which claimed the lives of six service members.
The investigators concluded that the auto-pilot system had engaged while the pilot was making a tight turn, causing the helicopter to plunge straight into the Ionian Sea. The report notes that neither the pilot’s training nor the cockpit indicators would have given any warning that the auto-pilot was about to over-ride the flight controls. It was also noted that during the certification testing of the Cyclone this potentially dangerous hazard was not uncovered, as no testing was conducted to ascertain what would happen if the pilot chose to over-ride the auto-pilot more than just ‘momentarily’.
In this instance the auto-pilot unexpectedly engaged in the middle of a complex manoeuvre known as ‘return-to-target’ turn. As the Cyclone was at a relatively low altitude the pilot had no time to regain control prior to the aircraft’s impact with the waves. While this incident report provides clinical details of just what went wrong mechanically that fateful day, it does nothing to lessen the tragic loss of captains Brenden MacDonald, Kevin Hagen, Maxime Miron-Morin, sub-lieutenants Abbigail Cowbrough and Matthew Pyke, and Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins.
What also remains unexplained was the inexplicable manner in which DND conveyed the news of this tragedy to the Canadian public. Within hours of the crash, Greek news outlets were reporting the downing of the Sea King helicopter in the Ionian Sea. This, in turn, was almost immediately circulated on Canadian social media platforms. However mainstream defence reporters were skeptical of the story as being potential ‘disinformation’ as the Canadian Forces was no longer flying the Sea King.
On April 30, 2020, more than 30 hours after the incident occurred the DND issued a formal statement advising the media that “One member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was killed…and five others remain missing following an accident involving a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CH-148 Cyclone helicopter.
We were also informed that “HMCS Fredericton and NATO allies continue to search for the other 5 members of the helicopter crew”. Details on the cause of the crash were unknown and the official story was that the crew of HMCS Fredericton “had lost contact with the helicopter” prior to the crash. The scenario DND painted was that of a mysterious crash sparking a major search-and-rescue operation by the entire NATO squadron.
Pundits took to the airwaves to discuss the challenges of mounting such a search for survivors in the vastness of the Ionian sea. As the hours dragged on experts commented on the effectiveness of survival suits. Some of the usual alarmists noted that a Russian submarine was known to be in the vicinity and that might somehow explain the downing of the Cyclone. Within the Canadian military community social media posts expressed grief and sorrow for Sub-Lt Cowbrough who had been pronounced dead, whilst they all offered prayers and hope for the family, friends and comrades of the five missing crew members. Initial statements by both Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Chief of Defence Staff General Jon Vance implied that the helicopter had crashed some distance from HMCS Fredericton.
Finally, on May 1, more than 48 hours after the incident occurred, the DND issued an update announcing this was now a search-and-recover mission with all crew members presumed dead. It was around this timeframe that the CBC was informed of the actual details of the Cyclone crash. It turns out that the helicopter was doing a low level pass right beside HMCS Fredericton when the aircraft suddenly nosedived into the waves. A number of the crew aboard the warship watched the crash in real time. The impact into the sea was so close to the ship that rescue craft from Fredericton were able to reach the crash site quick enough to recover the black box and the body of Cowbrough. When confronted with this alternate version of events, the DND admitted the fact that there would be eyewitness testimony included in the accident report. No one has ever explained where the false narrative was inserted or why DND allowed the media (myself included) to push out false details until a whistleblower contacted CBC with the truth.
There would be no reason for HMCS Fredericton’s crew to report anything other than the truth back to NDHQ. In this era where we are constantly warned to be wary of malignant foreign actors spreading disinformation, it is all the more imperative that we can trust and rely upon the information we receive from official sources such as DND. Especially when it pertains to the lives of our service members. Once again I offer my sincere condolences to the families, friends and comrades of those who perished in this tragic crash.
