by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (DEC 09/96) - A preliminary report into the crash of a CF-18 fighter jet that never got airborne in Iqaluit last August blames the pilot -- but not the pilot of the destroyed aircraft.

The Canadian Armed Forces report, obtained by News/North, says the lead pilot, who was flying a second jet that successfully took off just prior to the incident, was responsible for reading airport clearance co-ordinates to the second pilot.

"In particular, the lead pilot read ... identified runway 18 (instead of) runway 36 as the departure runway," the report says.

A departure end cable, which may have helped prevent the destruction of the $35-million aircraft, was set up on runway 36, not runway 18.

"The departure end cable was not up and the runway remaining was not sufficient to stop the aircraft using maximum braking," says the report.

After viewing a videotape of the Aug. 14 crash, investigators concluded that 28-year-old Capt. Ken Welch of Alberta ejected safely after deciding he would not be able to abort the takeoff safely.

His jet, which was still moving at 130 km/h, then rolled off the end of the runway, where it hit a fuel pipeline and went up in flames.

The report says the investigation has been hampered by the "near complete destruction of the aircraft."

Investigators noted in the report that the pilot of the destroyed fighter experienced an "unusual" flight control response just prior to lining up his aircraft for takeoff.

However, extensive analysis of the incident did not reveal any instrument problems that could have caused the accident.

The CF-18 was on NORAD training exercises with five other jets from CFB Bagotville, Que., when the incident occurred.