Plane crashed during training

MOOSE JAW An initial report into the crash of a training plane says the instructor and student pilot had to eject after getting into trouble practising basic aerobatics.

Both Royal Canadian Air Force officers survived the Jan. 27 bailout in southern Saskatchewan, but the CT-156 Harvard II aircraft was destroyed. The Department of National Defence report says the plane lost power as the student pilot was pulling out of a manoeuvre and the instructor took over.

The instructor tried unsuccessfully to gain altitude, but determined the plane was too low to glide safely back to base at 15 Wing Moose Jaw for a forced landing.

“The attempt was unsuccessful, and the engine performance continued to degrade, leading the crew to carry out a controlled ejection,” says the report released Monday.