IDENTIFICATION & INCIDENT DETAILS

•Date: 27 September 1960

•Time: Not specified

•Aircraft Type: Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck Mk 5

•Registration: 18469

•Operator: Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)

•Construction Number: C-100/5/369

•Fatalities: 2 (Flying Officer L. Tidball and Flying Officer J. Kerr)

•Aircraft Damage: Aircraft missing

•Location: Near the north shore of Lake Ontario, Canada

•Phase: En route

•Nature: Military

•Departure Airport: CFS Mountainview, Ontario

•Destination Airport: Not specified

NARRATIVE

On 27 September 1960, two Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck Mk 5 aircraft departed from CFS Mountainview, a satellite airfield of CFB Trenton, Ontario, for a routine delivery flight. The aircraft, operated by 129 Acceptance and Fairy Flight of the Royal Canadian Air Force, initially flew over Lake Ontario under favorable weather conditions, with good Visibility and high cirrus clouds.

The No. 2 aircraft, flying approximately two miles behind CF-100 18469, reported entering a cirrus cloud. Shortly after, 18469 vanished from radar without issuing a distress signal. An extensive search of Lake Ontario and surrounding areas yielded no trace of the aircraft or its crew members, Flying Officer L. Tidball and Flying Officer J. Kerr.

This disappearance remains one of the unsolved mysteries of military aviation over the Great Lakes.

POSSIBLE CAUSES

1.Hypoxia:

•A lack of oxygen could have incapacitated the crew, leading to an uncontrolled dive into Lake Ontario.

2.Mechanical Failure:

•A catastrophic mechanical issue could have caused a sudden crash without time for a distress call.

3.Weather-Related Incident:

•While the weather was reported to be favorable, unexpected conditions, such as turbulence or icing, might have contributed to the incident.

4.Conspiracy Theories:

•The disappearance has fueled theories about the so-called “Great Lakes Triangle,” similar to the Bermuda Triangle. Some UFO enthusiasts speculate extraterrestrial involvement, though no evidence supports these claims.

OUTCOME

•The search for CF-100 18469 involved extensive operations across Lake Ontario and nearby land but failed to locate the aircraft or its crew.

•The crew was officially presumed dead.

•The incident remains an unsolved mystery and a somber chapter in Canadian military aviation history.

RESOURCES & LINKS

•Aviation Safety Network: Comprehensive database of aviation accidents and incidents.

•Royal Canadian Air Force History: Historical records of the RCAF, including the CF-100 Canuck.

•Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers: Database of Canadian military aircraft serial numbers.

•Lake Ontario Shipwrecks and Aircraft Crashes: Resource for historical incidents in Lake Ontario.

KEYWORDS

CF-100 Canuck, RCAF, Lake Ontario Aircraft Incident, Great Lakes Triangle, Military Aviation Accident, 1960 Aviation Mystery, Flying Officer L. Tidball, Flying Officer J. Kerr.

ANALYSIS

The disappearance of CF-100 18469 highlights the inherent dangers faced by military aviators, even under routine circumstances. The lack of distress communication suggests a sudden and catastrophic event, possibly related to mechanical failure or crew incapacitation.

The enduring mystery of the incident has spurred both scientific and speculative interest, from theories of hypoxia to conspiracies involving the Great Lakes Triangle. Despite the loss, the case continues to honor the service of F/O L. Tidball and F/O J. Kerr, whose dedication remains an integral part of Canadian military aviation history.