ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — An investigation into a military helicopter crash at the Gander, N.L., airport last year says the facility has been running with reduced firefighting capabilities since March 2020.
A crash report by the Department of National Defence says the airport did not have formal approval to operate with its firefighting capacity reduced.
It says one of the first two people to arrive at the crash site was a firefighter who was not officially on standby.
The crash on March 10, 2022, occurred after the left pilot's chair suddenly slammed 12 centimetres downward to its lowest position.
The review says there had been issues with the seats of the CH-149 Cormorant and that those problems had not been reported or documented.
Two of the six occupants were seriously injured and the Cormorant was destroyed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2023.
The Canadian Press
