Canadian Forces Snowbirds jet crashes in Kamloops, B.C.

[applegrove]

Canadian Forces Snowbirds jet crashes in Kamloops, B.C.


'The plane just did a cartwheel and fell right out of the sky,' witness says

CBC News · Posted: May 17, 2020 12:43 PM PT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/plane-crash-kamloops-1.5573930

"SNIP....

A Canadian Forces Snowbirds jet crashed in Kamloops, B.C., on Sunday, the Department of National Defence confirmed to CBC News.

"This is a developing situation. Our number one priority at this time is determining the status of our personnel, the community and supporting emergency personnel," the department said in an email. 

.....

She said she watched one Snowbirds plane fly up and when the second one went after it, it appeared to catch on fire.

"The one plane continued and the other one, there was two puffs, it looked like puffs of smoke and one ... was a ball of fire," she said.

....SNIP"

Vibes to the pilots and their loved ones.

[Budi]

1. Any DUer military or pilots know what might have caused the incident as described?

These pilots are so skilled that its hard to believe human error. Though even that may be the case I guess.
Big loss whatever the cause.

Damn.

[2naSalit]

2. The article says the planes were

built in the 60s. It appears the pilot ejected and landed on the roof of a house, no word about his condition.

[EllieBC]

3. There's a video and it looks like the plane

was trying to climb, probably so the pilots could have enough time for their chutes to properly deploy when they ejected.

Per Global BC, one pilot survived and the other did not.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. This is a pretty good analysis from an airline pilot.

[SeattleVet]

13. Thanks you for posting that. Juan always does excellent analysis in his videos.

You can definitely hear the 'pop' as the aircraft passes the guy that filmed that sequence.

[SeattleVet]

4. Oh, no...the Snowbirds are amazing.

I've seen them perform a few times, and they do a very graceful and technically perfect show. The US Navy Blue Angels are all about speed and power, the USAF Thunderbirds are precision. The Snowbirds put on a much more 'relaxed' show. I've also seen the British Red Arrows and Italian Frecce Tricolori demonstration teams.

From CBC coverage it looks like it was most likely something mechanical. The planes are Canadair CT-114 Tutor models, produced from the 1960's until 2000. The Snowbirds regularly swap out their planes with Canadian Forces trainer aircraft so they are flying low flight-time airframes. They are maintained to the highest standards.

Here's a CBC link to the latest news:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/plane-crash-kamloops-1.5573930

A great loss.

[applegrove]

5. Thanks for all that news.

[Budi]

11. Good info & interesting story. Thanks for your post, SeattleVet

[SeattleVet]

6. Latest information (19 minutes ago update)

The team had done their flyby yesterday, and today they were departing for Vancouver Island (which is why there were two people aboard the aircraft...the pilot and the technician assigned to the aircraft).

Unlike the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds, this team doesn't have additional support aircraft and equipment that travels with them - everything is carried in these planes, including maintenance equipment and parts and the maintenance personnel when going from one place to another. The pilots fly solo during the demonstration flights, then they load up everything and head to the next location.

Another station just interviewed a retired Snowbirds pilot. He said he had seen the videos (there are several) and everything about the takeoff appeared to be normal operations. It's unclear as of yet what the malfunction was - the main possibilities appear to be control problems or engine flameout. In a flameout on takeoff situation the pilot would most likely try to gain as much altitude as possible to give them some additional time to attempt a restart.

Very sad situation.

[applegrove]

8. Oh no. So sad.

[Budi]

12. K & R . Much appreciate your post.

Sad & unfortunate turn of events.

[Worried2020]

7. "Operation Inspiration" - Snowbirds flew to raise the spirits of a country under lockdown

.
.

From another link . . .

"The Snowbirds aerobatics team was scheduled to make a trip from Kamloops to Vernon today as part of Operation Inspiration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Operation Inspiration started in Nova Scotia earlier this month and features the team’s signature nine-jet formation. It was aimed at boosting morale as Canadians continue to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheduled start of Sunday’s activities was delayed by rain and low visibility. Operation Inspiration followed a similar initiative south of the border, where the U.S. military’s own flight demonstration teams have been flying in honour of front-line workers and first responders."

https://cfjctoday.com/2020/05/17/plane-crash-in-brocklehurst/

MORE at link - plenty of images, and updates

They were almost done - They started on the East Coast . . . Kamloops is only about 250 miles from Vancouver on the West Coast.

So sad



W

[applegrove]

9. .