Did an iPad Cause CH-47D Crash In Idaho?
A year ago, on the 21 July 2022, a CH-47D Chinook crashed in an accident during a fire fighting operation near Salomon, Idaho. While the Chinook is operated by militaries around the world, this aircraft was privately owned and operated by Rotak Helicopter Service, based in Anchorage, Alaska. Both crew members, Thomas Hayes and Jared Bird lost their lives despite quick transfer to a hospital. The cause behind the accident was unknown for some time, yet the recently published National Transportation Safety Board report sheds some light on the events that took place a year ago.
According to the information in the NTSB accident investigation docket, an electronic device fell between the legs of one of the pilots and managed to lock the pedals. The damage found on the device from the crash site corresponds to those sustained by a tablet used during the examination of another example helicopter.
The National Transportation Safety Board found that:
“When pressure was applied to the pilot’s right pedal, the iPad was squeezed in between the pedal and the heel slide support assembly…Additional right pedal input forced the iPad to apply more pressure to the copilot’s pedal adjustment lever.”
The pilots strapped into their seats were unable to remove the jammed device. The cockpit instrument panel visor and flight gear obscured their vision and prevented them from reaching the iPad. This resulted in an inability to center the pedals and control the tail rotor which developed into the CH-47 going into a spin over Moose River, where the fire fighting operation was underway. Finally, the aircraft crashed into the river during an attempt to fill the aircraft’s water bucket.
iPads and other electronic devices are popular items for preplanning routes and missions, navigation, and other related activities during operations. The NTSB has not yet made an official statement in regard to the Chinook crash. It remains unknown how the device ended up beneath the pedal and the heel slide support assembly during the flight.