Sonoski, Colin Joseph (Captain)
Killed in Flying Accident 2002-July-18
Birth Date: 1963-March-14
Born:
Parents: Son of John Sonoski.
Spouse: Husband of Sharon Singleton.
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: 1988-August-29
Service
RCAF
Unit
444 Sqn- Squadron
Strike Swift Strike Sure
Base
Rank
Captain
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Mission
Griffon 146420
SOE 2002-July-18 to 2002-July-18
444 () () CFB Goose Bay, Newfoundland
Scheduled for delivery to No. 444 (CS) Squadron, CFB Goose Bay, Newfoundland, on 11 September 1995. Still with this unit when it crashed and was destroyed after tail rotor left aircraft, 100 NM north of Goose Bay, while on SAR mission on 18 July 2002. Aircraft was about 100 to 200 feet above ground level, under low cloud cover, at the time. 2 pilots killed (Capt. J-A MacKenzie and Capt. C.J. Sonoski), 2 Flight Engineers seriously injured. Investigation blamed tail rotor fatigue, starting at a small nick on one blade. Portion of blade detached, resulting imbalance resulted in entire tail rotor assembly detaching. Capt. MacKenzie was probably first female CF pilot killed in an operational crash.Griffon 146420 - SOE - 2002-07-18 to 2002-07-18
Squadron: 444
Start Date: 2002-07-18
Completion Date: 2002-07-18
Mission: SOE
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: CFB Goose Bay, Newfoundland
Take Off Time:
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Newfoundland
Crash Specifics: 100 NM north of Goose Bay
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: mechanical
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
Scheduled for delivery to No. 444 (CS) Squadron, CFB Goose Bay, Newfoundland, on 11 September 1995. Still with this unit when it crashed and was destroyed after tail rotor left aircraft, 100 NM north of Goose Bay, while on SAR mission on 18 July 2002. Aircraft was about 100 to 200 feet above ground level, under low cloud cover, at the time. 2 pilots killed (Capt. J-A MacKenzie and Capt. C.J. Sonoski), 2 Flight Engineers seriously injured. Investigation blamed tail rotor fatigue, starting at a small nick on one blade. Portion of blade detached, resulting imbalance resulted in entire tail rotor assembly detaching. Capt. MacKenzie was probably first female CF pilot killed in an operational crash.
6 Group Unavailable
Scheduled for delivery to No. 444 (CS) Squadron, CFB Goose Bay, Newfoundland, on 11 September 1995. Still with this unit when it crashed and was destroyed after tail rotor left aircraft, 100 NM north of Goose Bay, while on SAR mission on 18 July 2002. Aircraft was about 100 to 200 feet above ground level, under low cloud cover, at the time. 2 pilots killed (Capt. J-A MacKenzie and Capt. C.J. Sonoski), 2 Flight Engineers seriously injured. Investigation blamed tail rotor fatigue, starting at a small nick on one blade. Portion of blade detached, resulting imbalance resulted in entire tail rotor assembly detaching. Capt. MacKenzie was probably first female CF pilot killed in an operational crash.
