Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Snowbirds cancel two B.C. shows after malfunction

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Aug, 2022 01:58 PM
  • Snowbirds cancel two B.C. shows after malfunction

VANCOUVER - A malfunction that caused a Canadian Air Force Snowbirds pilot to make a hard landing after takeoff in northern British Columbia has forced the aerobatic team to cancel two performances in the province.

A statement on the Snowbirds' social media page says the team has cancelled its Wednesday appearance at the Penticton Peach Festival and it will not take part in the Abbotsford International Airshow that will start on Friday.

The statement says the CT-114 Tutor jets will not be flown while a Royal Canadian Air Force flight safety team investigates what happened on Tuesday in Fort St. John.

The air force confirmed in an earlier tweet that the plane had been damaged but the pilot was not hurt.

An official with the Fort St. John International Airshow Society said the jet suffered a malfunction on takeoff but the pilot was able to return to the airport.

The hard landing resulted in a fire that was quickly handled by crews at North Peace Regional Airport and the airport said the runway was briefly closed for inspection.

The Snowbirds' statement issued Wednesday does not say if any other performances will be scrubbed.

"Flight safety is paramount in the RCAF and investigations into incidents and accidents are done in a comprehensive and thorough manner following well-established procedures," the statement says.

The nearly 60-year-old Tutor jets are scheduled to be used by the Snowbirds until 2030.

The planes were last grounded in late June as the air force dealt with a technical issue in a device that sets the timing for deploying a parachute during an ejection.

In May 2020, a Snowbirds jet collided with a bird shortly after takeoff from Kamloops, B.C., causing the engine to stall, and the crash killed Capt. Jennifer Casey, a public affairs officer.

The team was placed on an operational pause for the remainder of the summer following that accident, which came less than a year after another Snowbirds jet crashed in rural Georgia due to a fuel delivery system failure.

A report into the May 2020 crash in Kamloops determined the pilot and passenger's ejection sequences were "outside the ejection envelope" and the plane was at such a low altitude their parachutes didn't have time to work properly. The pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, suffered serious injuries, and Casey died at the scene.

A flight safety investigation of the Georgia crash found the pilot was able to eject and had only minor injuries, but reported "anomalies" with the ejection sequence and parachute opening. The plane was destroyed.

That investigation report said all life-support equipment was inspected and an inspection of the entire fleet's engines was recommended.

MORE National ARTICLES

Inflation chills ice cream truck business

Inflation chills ice cream truck business
Some flavours are in short supply, and Falou is focused on efficiency for his fleet of 10 trucks. The problem is not just high gas prices, said Falou. "Maintenance went up. Truck parts went up. The mechanical parts went up," he said in an interview.   

Inflation chills ice cream truck business

Man charged with aggravated assault after alleged attack on Vancouver police officer

Man charged with aggravated assault after alleged attack on Vancouver police officer
Police say a 52-year-old man has been charged with one count of aggravated assault and remains in hospital with injuries. B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating.

Man charged with aggravated assault after alleged attack on Vancouver police officer

Two of three victims in shooting at Surrey's sports park now dead, say RCMP

Two of three victims in shooting at Surrey's sports park now dead, say RCMP
Police say in a statement that officers were called to the park Saturday where they found three males suffering from gun shot wounds. One of the men died at the scene, while two others were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where the second victim died.

Two of three victims in shooting at Surrey's sports park now dead, say RCMP

One dead, two seriously hurt in South Surrey shooting

One dead, two seriously hurt in South Surrey shooting
The RCMP says despite providing life-saving measures, one of the wounded men died at the scene. Police say the two other victims were taken to hospital suffering from life-threatening injuries.    

One dead, two seriously hurt in South Surrey shooting

Canadian economy holds steady in May

Canadian economy holds steady in May
Real gross domestic product was unchanged in May after a 0.3 per cent expansion in April, Statistics Canada reported Friday. Growth in services-producing industries was offset by a decline in goods-producing industries, the federal agency said.

Canadian economy holds steady in May

Canada expands in-person passport services

Canada expands in-person passport services
Social Development Minister Karina Gould says depending on when the person plans to travel, the application will either be expedited and their passport mailed to them, or their file will be transferred to a local office for printing and pickup.

Canada expands in-person passport services