One Canadian military member killed and one injured in CF Snowbirds accident

OTTAWA - One member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was killed on May 17 and one other injured in an accident involving a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CT-114 Tutor aircraft in the vicinity of Kamloops, British Columbia.

Killed was Captain (Capt) Jennifer Casey, the team’s Public Affairs Officer, originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Capt Richard MacDougall, one of the team’s coordinators and pilot of the aircraft, was injured and is being treated for his injuries.

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds were deployed on Operation INSPIRATION, a cross-Canada tour to lift the spirits of Canadians and salute front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of the accident, the CF Snowbirds were taking off from the airport in Kamloops, British Columbia.

The CT-114 Tutor fleet has been placed on an operational pause and Op INSPIRATION has been delayed indefinitely.

“Canadians look at the Snowbirds as a source of joy and an exhibition of the incredible feats that our people in uniform are capable of,” he added. “Operation INSPIRATION was intended to lift the spirit of Canadians at this difficult time and the Snowbirds accomplished their mission. I know that all Canadians grieve this tragic loss.”

The CAF are providing members and their families with as much support as possible to help them through this difficult time.

“Another tragedy has hit our Canadian Armed Forces. The Snowbirds’ Op INSPIRATION brought joy to Canadians across our country,’ said General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff. “Today, we come together in their time of need. To the family of Captain Jenn Casey we send our condolences, know that she was an inspiration to many and she will be missed. To Captain Richard MacDougall, we wish you a speedy recovery.”

Capt Casey joined the CAF in August 2014 as a direct entry officer. She joined the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in November 2018.

A Flight Safety Investigation is being conducted to ensure personnel can continue to have confidence in equipment and procedures. One of the aims of the Flight Safety program is to investigate such occurrences with the objective of quickly identifying effective preventive measures that will either prevent or reduce the risk of similar occurrences in the future.