CF-100 Mk 5 18469

INCIDENT DETAILS #

NARRATIVE #

On 27 September 1960, two Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck Mk 5 aircraft, operated by 129 Acceptance and Fairy Flight of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), departed from Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Mountainview, a satellite airfield of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton, Ontario, for a routine delivery flight. The flight plan took them initially over Lake Ontario. The weather conditions were reported to be favorable, with very good visibility and high-level cirrus clouds.

The No. 2 aircraft, which was flying approximately two miles behind CF-100 18469, reported entering a cirrus cloud. Shortly thereafter, 18469 disappeared from radar without transmitting a Mayday distress call. Despite an extensive search operation covering Lake Ontario and the surrounding land areas, no trace of the aircraft or its crew members, Flying Officer (F/O) L. Tidball and Flying Officer (F/O) J. Kerr, was ever found. The disappearance remains one of the unsolved mysteries involving military aircraft over the Great Lakes.

POSSIBLE CAUSES #

The disappearance of CF-100 18469 has been speculated to involve several potential causes:

1. Hypoxia: One theory suggests that the crew may have experienced hypoxia, a condition caused by insufficient oxygen, which could have led to the crew being incapacitated. This could have resulted in the aircraft entering an uncontrolled high-speed dive into Lake Ontario.

2. Mechanical Failure: Another possibility is a catastrophic mechanical failure that caused the aircraft to crash suddenly.

3. Weather-Related Incident: Although the weather was reported to be good, it’s possible that unexpected weather phenomena could have played a role.

4. Conspiracy Theories: The incident has also been linked to conspiracy theories involving the so-called “Great Lakes Triangle,” a region purported to have unexplained phenomena similar to the Bermuda Triangle. Some UFO enthusiasts have suggested that the disappearance was related to extraterrestrial activity, though there is no evidence to support this claim.

OUTCOME #

Despite the comprehensive search efforts, neither the aircraft nor the bodies of the two crew members were recovered. The crew was officially presumed dead. The incident highlights the dangers faced by military aviators and remains a somber part of Canadian military aviation history.

RESOURCES & LINKS #

1. Aviation Safety Network

   • Provides detailed reports and information on aviation accidents and incidents.
   • Aviation Safety Network

2. Royal Canadian Air Force History

   • Information on the history of the RCAF, including details on the CF-100 Canuck.
   • RCAF History

3. Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers

   • A database of Canadian military aircraft serial numbers, including the CF-100.
   • Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers

4. Lake Ontario Shipwrecks and Aircraft Crashes

   • A resource for historical incidents involving shipwrecks and aircraft crashes in Lake Ontario.
   • Lake Ontario Shipwrecks and Aircraft Crashes