THUNDER BAY, Ont. — A jet described by witnesses as one of the fabled Snowbirds aerobatics squadron has crashed on its way to an air show in northern Ontario.
Eyewitness Scott Dougall told CKPR radio in Thunder Bay that he was watching the Snowbirds when he saw one of them suddenly dive towards the ground.
He said he thought he saw someone eject from the plunging aircraft.
An organizer for the show also said the downed plane was one of the Snowbirds, but the report could not be immediately confirmed by police.
The organizer, who did not want to be identified, said the plane crashed before the start of the show, called Thunder in the Air, which had been scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
The event was cancelled just 10 minutes later when it was announced that a plane had crashed.
“I saw one of the planes immediately turn towards the ground and go at a very high speed directly at the ground and disappear,” Dougall said.
“After that I saw a puff of smoke come up from the ground and I also saw a parachute at about 5,000, 6,000 feet in the air. It looked like somebody had ejected and the plane crashed into the ground.”
The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal newspaper reported the plane was a Canadair CT-114 Tutor jet, the same aircraft used by the Snowbirds, and that it crashed in a field west of the city.
The event had been scheduled to take place at Marina Park by the city’s downtown harbour on the northern shore of Lake Superior.
The organizer said the plane did not crash in the park.
City residents reported seeing smoke rising from the scene.
Firefighters at the scene said the pilot was taken to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, where he was seen walking on his own around 6:15 p.m.
The pilot’s name was not immediately released.
A concert that had been scheduled to follow the air show went on as planned.
The Snowbirds are scheduled to perform at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto on Labour Day weekend.
By: Peter - 30th August 2005 at 14:52
Theres only one replacement for the Tutor and that is the Hawk!
By: mutant - 25th August 2005 at 14:56
I think the last ‘Tutor’ rolled off the production line in 1966. The Canadian Governement are pondering replacing the ‘Tutors’ with a Pilatus product! There is a grass roots campaign to have the replacement aircraft still be a jet, the Hawk 100, I think. Last year, at the Canadian Intl. Airshow, British Aerospace placed a full page colour ‘Ad’ in the airshow programme for a Snowbirds replacement with a formation of 9 Hawks all in the ‘Snowbirds’ colours. Nicely done!
By: GASML - 25th August 2005 at 10:58
Don’t go there!
No Disrespect intended here but
1) How old are the aircraft2) How many left in service
3) What other units operate it
4) Is a replacement type in the wind for the team
Just interested
regards
John p
I guess the Tutors are about 30 years old. Most of us go to shows where aeroplanes 40, 50, 60, or 70-plus years old are flown.
Any aeroplane can – and probably will – suffer a mechanical failure at some time. At least in this case the bang seat worked and saved the most important part of the package.
It’s not a case of age, but condition that counts. I just wish the same applied to me!
By: setter - 25th August 2005 at 04:33
No Disrespect intended here but
1) How old are the aircraft
2) How many left in service
3) What other units operate it
4) Is a replacement type in the wind for the team
Just interested
regards
John p
By: DJ Jay - 25th August 2005 at 00:55
Best wishes to the pilot.
Unfortunate incident by the sound of it.
Jay
By: Ant.H - 25th August 2005 at 00:32
Not good news,but glad to hear the pilot is now being reported to be ok.Not a good twelve months for the team,best wishes to all of them.
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August 25, 2005 at 12:24 am