N.L. chopper crash recordings detail tense moments

CBC News has obtained recordings of the last minutes of Cougar Flight 491, with the tape detailing a dramatic exchange with air traffic controllers before the chopper crashed east of St. John's in 2009 killing 17 people.

The last conversations between air traffic controllers and the Sikorsky's pilots, Capt. Matt Davis, 34, of St. John's, and First Officer Tim Lanouette, 48, Comox, B.C., were released by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

The Cougar Helicopters Ltd chopper, a Sikorsky S92, left St. John's to bring offshore workers to oil platforms hundreds of kilometres east of St. John's on March 12, 2009.

The 45 minutes of audio recordings begin with a routine exchange between air traffic controllers and Lanouette, but less than 30 minutes after takeoff the conversation takes a chilling turn, when the flight's captain addresses air traffic controllers.

"Gander centre. Cougar 91. Mayday," said Davis. "Sir, we have a main gearbox oil pressure problem, request immediate clearance back to take off."

Minutes later, a second call and the decision to make a desperate run for land.

"I'm going to be going for the nearest terra firma I can get to," said the pilot. "Yes, whatever I see first, if it’s Cape Spear or a parking lot. We've lost all main gearbox oil pressure at this time," said the pilot.

"Understood," said air traffic control.

'We are going to prepare to ditch'

Minutes later, it became clear the chopper wasn't going to reach land.

"We are going to prepare to ditch [into the ocean]. We've, ah, [inaudible]," said the pilot.

Air traffic control responded: "Cougar 91, I checked, I'm marking position there now."

Then came the final seconds of the recording as the pilots struggled to maintain control of the chopper that, according to the Transportation Safety Board's investigation, lost power to its tail rotor first.

"There you go, you got it, you got it, you got it. OK, its [inaudible], you're doing good," said one pilot encouraging the other.

The conversation that followed was captured on an onboard cockpit voice recorder. TSB officials said legislation prevents that from being released publicly.

Only one person on the helicopter survived the crash.

Robert Decker, of St. John's, struggled out of the fuselage and up to the ocean's surface as the helicopter sank like a stone.

Decker was hospitalized for weeks with broken bones, lung damage and injuries to his eyes, after he was plucked from the ocean by a Cougar search and rescue crew.

The TSB reported Wednesday that all 17 people who died drowned after the helicopter hit the water. Board investigators said it hit the ocean's surface with so much force that the aircraft's roof collapsed down to the tops of the passengers' seats.