Province mourns tragic loss in Snowbirds crash
Team’s public affairs officer killed, pilot seriously injured on Sunday
SASKATOON Days after the Snowbirds lifted spirits in Saskatchewan, the tragic death of a member of the iconic aerobatics team in British Columbia prompted messages of condolence.
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds confirmed the death Sunday of Halifax native Capt. Jennifer Casey. The public affairs officer died when the jet she was in crashed in a residential area of Kamloops, B.C., while the team was on a cross-country tour to convey hope during the COVID -19 pandemic.
Casey, who had been with the Snowbirds since November 2018, is a former journalist who worked as a reporter, anchor and producer at NEWS 95.7 in her hometown.
Another member of the Snowbirds was injured.
The pilot, Capt. Richard Macdougall, landed on the roof of a house on nearby Schreiner Street after ejecting from the jet. His injuries are reported as serious but not life-threatening.
“The RCAF has suffered another tragic loss of a dedicated member of the RCAF team,” reads a message posted on the squadron’s Twitter account. “We are deeply saddened and grieve alongside Jenn’s family and friends.”
The atmosphere in Moose Jaw, where the team is based, was sombre Monday afternoon. A small Canadian flag fluttered in the wind at the foot of the Tutor jet monument painted in the colours of the Snowbirds. Earlier Monday, Tourism Moose Jaw sent out a tweet inviting people to leave flowers at the monument.
The red, white and blue jet reminds travellers along the
Transcanada highway that the city is the proud home of the Snowbirds.
Throughout the afternoon, people came and went from the monument. Some left flowers, while others looked up at the plane in quiet reflection.
“I’ve got five cousins in the forces, so it really hits home,” said Wendy Free, who brought her son with her to drop off flowers.
Her son enjoyed seeing the Snowbirds perform at the latest air show held at Canadian Forces Base 15 Wing, Free said. The recent tragedy has caused him some confusion.
“He asks why it happened,” she said. “Right now nobody knows why.”
Operation Inspiration started in Nova Scotia earlier this month and featured the team’s signature nine-jet formation.
It was aimed at boosting morale as Canadians continue to struggle with the COVID -19 pandemic.
The squadron flew over Regina Thursday before landing in Saskatoon en route to Alberta.
After the crash, leaders from across the province expressed solidarity with the team, who are based at the air force’s 15 Wing Moose Jaw base.
“Saskatchewan offers our deepest condolences to the @Cfsnowbirds and to the family and friends of the Snowbirds team member who tragically lost their life today,” Premier Scott Moe posted on Twitter Sunday.
NDP Opposition Leader Ryan Meili said on Twitter he was thinking of the team member’s family, the Snowbirds team and people in Moose Jaw.
“And remembering how much joy we all took in seeing the flyover the other day here in Saskatoon,” Meili added. “Such a powerful symbol of Saskatchewan and Canada. Such an awful loss.”
Moose Jaw Mayor Fraser Tolmie issued a statement Monday expressing condolences to Casey’s family and wishing a speedy recovery to Macdougall.
“The Canadian Forces Snowbirds are an integral part of our community, and we send our deepest condolences to the Casey family and to the entire Snowbirds team.”
Thirty-five private B.C. pilots were scheduled to pay tribute to Casey and the Snowbirds Monday evening with their own flyover, dubbed “Operation Backup Inspiration.”
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
Hours before the show in Kamloops, plane fanatics and families gathered under grey skies for what was to be an exhilarating show. Instead, locals watched as a jet veered up and circled back before diving into the ground.
Just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday, two jets took off from Kamloops Airport, bound for Kelowna.
One jet was seen in video footage turning upward seconds after takeoff and doubling back before crashing in an area near Glenview Avenue.
The footage also shows two specks ejecting from the jet, though no parachute could be seen deployed. Other images posted online also show the burning wreckage on the lawn of a home.
Witnesses told reporters there was smoke rising from the crash site and emergency vehicles descending on the area, while a home near the plane was on fire.
The Snowbirds aerobatics team was scheduled to make a trip departing from Kamloops on Sunday as part of Operation Inspiration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheduled start was delayed because of rain and low visibility.
It is the second crash involving the military’s famed aerobatic team in less than a year, following the downing of another Snowbird in the U.S. state of Georgia last October. Capt. Kevin Domon- Grenier sustained minor injuries when he ejected from the plane, which crashed into a farmer’s field. No one else was hurt in that incident.
Eleven aircraft are used during Snowbird shows, with nine flying and two kept as spares.
The air force obtained its Tutor jets in 1963 and has used them in air demonstrations since 1971. Prior to Sunday’s crash, seven pilots and one passenger had been killed and several aircraft had been lost over the course of the Snowbirds’ history.
During a news conference Monday afternoon, Snowbirds Commanding Officer Lt.-col. Mike French confirmed an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
“Yesterday’s circumstances led to the confluence of all those worst-case scenarios and it became our absolute worst nightmare,” said French.
“The accident investigation is done by the director of flight safety. It’s similar to a civilian National Transportation Safety Board investigation. They look at weather, maintenance, they interview people, they review video, and they will do a full investigation to find out what happened with the aim of preventing this from happening in the future, and mitigating those risks.”
French said within about 30 days a “quick snapshot” into what the investigator is looking into will be available to the public on the director of flight safety public website.
Regarding the safety of the planes, given their age, French said roughly once every two years they’re “torn right down to nothing and rebuilt.” On top of the rebuilds, each plane is inspected daily by both pilots and other personnel.
French said Casey’s death was a huge blow to the Snowbirds team, and now is the time for mourning. With files from Canadian Press and Postmedia News