Overview
A Canadian Forces CC130 aircraft, operating under the callsign Trucker 5, was destroyed after impacting the ground during a Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System (LAPES) training mission near Camp Wainwright, Alberta. The accident resulted in the deaths of five crew members and injuries to four others.
Mission Profile
The aircraft departed 18 Wing Namao, Alberta, at 1555Z on a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Tactical Airlift Mission (TAL) to Extraction Zone (EZ) Saville Farm at Camp Wainwright. The airplane was configured for a LAPES drop with a total all-up-weight (AUW) of 118,914 pounds for takeoff. Prior to proceeding, a dry pass was conducted at Namao to practice a LAPES profile and an emergency procedure.
Accident
Following the dry pass, the aircraft proceeded on the low-level route to EZ Saville Farm. The mission progressed normally until the LAPES extraction. During the LAPES profile, the aircraft struck the ground shortly after the expected Time On Target (TOT) of 1630Z. The airplane was destroyed.
Crew
Aboard the aircraft were: Major A. G. Niles (aircraft commander), Captain Michael G. Allen (pilot), Captain Vincent L. Schurman (copilot), Captain E. R. M. Juneau (navigator), Sergeant H. J. Lous (flight engineer), Warrant Officer S. J. Hull (flight engineer), Master Warrant Officer Joseph Sylvio Castonguay (CABC), Sergeant Alain Michaud (loadmaster), and Master Corporal Ronald J. McWilliam (loadmaster).
Investigation Findings
The board of inquiry identified multiple cause factors: inadequate directives governing crew composition and training for uncurrent LAPES aircrew; inadequate directives governing navigator and flight engineer LAPES training and currency requirements; the pilot commencing the LAPES profile despite being past the descent point; the pilot pressing the attempt to achieve normal wheel height despite excessive altitude; the aircraft commander not occupying the right seat or conducting a dry pass at EZ Saville Farm despite knowing the pilots' currency status and unfamiliarity with the zone; the copilot's channelized attention on release panels; and the aircraft commander's preoccupation with the copilot's activities during a critical phase of flight.