A Flight Safety Investigation Report by Canada’s Directorate of Flight Safety was published on September 21 into the accident involving a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CT-114 Tutor on August 2.
The report identifies the accident aircraft as 114051 ‘3’ operated by the RCAF’s 431 Air Demonstration Squadron – called the Snowbirds. It was initially one of the nine Snowbird aircraft stationed at North Peace Reginal Airport in Fort St John, British Colombia, in support of the Fort St John International Air Show, which was held on July 30-31, 2022.
Two days after the air show, the aircraft was to be ferried from Fort St John back to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan – home base for the team and 15 Wing – on a standard IFR transit flight. On the morning of the accident, the pilot conducted a routine series of pre-flight checks before proceeding to the active runway for a standard departure. Shortly after lift-off, the pilot confirmed a positive rate of climb and selected the landing gear up.
Immediately after gear selection, the pilot heard a loud noise and the engine failed. The aircraft rapidly started decelerating and descending back to the runway. The pilot selected the landing gear back down and elected to la…
