A Snowbirds CT-114 Tutor jet crashed in a field in Thunder Bay, Ontario, last Wednesday afternoon, after the pilot ejected. Pilot Andrew MacKay was practicing a routine maneuver prior to an air show when something went wrong. According to early reports, the engine flamed out while the jet was inverted, MacKay ejected, and the jet crashed. MacKay was treated for injuries and has been released from the hospital. The team has been grounded, but may be flying again by this weekend, when it is scheduled to perform at the Canadian International Airshow in Toronto. The accident has reignited debate in Canada over whether the team costs too much money and if the 30-year-old Tutor jets are getting too old to be safe. Last December, Snowbird Capt. Miles Selby died when his CT-114 Tutor jet crashed in a field near Mossbank, Saskatchewan, after a midair collision with a teammate’s jet. The second pilot ejected safely. The team was grounded briefly but when investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure, they were back in the air.
Canada’s Snowbirds Grounded
Key Takeaways:
- A Snowbirds CT-114 Tutor jet crashed in Thunder Bay, Ontario, last Wednesday after the pilot ejected during a routine maneuver; the pilot was treated for injuries and released.
- The incident has grounded the Snowbirds team, potentially affecting their upcoming airshow, and reignited debate over the cost and safety of their 30-year-old Tutor jets.
- This is the second Snowbirds crash in less than a year, following a fatal midair collision involving a CT-114 Tutor jet last December.
See a mistake? Contact us.
