A preliminary report into last month’s fatal Snowbirds crash in British Columbia suggests it may have been caused by a bird.
The crash claimed the life of Capt. Jennifer Casey, the team’s public affairs officer, and severely injured the pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall.
“A detailed analysis of video footage recovered for the investigation revealed one bird in very close proximity to the aircraft right engine intake during the critical phase of take-off,” said a preliminary investigation report released Monday.
Investigators are now focusing on the possibility of a bird strike, along with the performance of the jet’s escape system, as is standard practice.
The jet was seen gaining altitude as it took off from Kamloops on the morning of May 17. Not long after, the aircraft veered to the left before it went into a steep nose dive.
Both Casey and MacDougall ejected the aircraft, which was destroyed in the crash.
Officials say Monday’s report is only a brief summary of the information known at this time and does not provide full details surrounding the crash.
“While we might quickly understand what happened in an accident, the most difficult work of an investigation begins as we peel back the layers to understand why and how this happened,” said Col. John Alexander, Director of Flight Safety and Department of National Defence’s Airworthiness Investigative Authority, in a statement.
“We are laser-focused to understanding everything we can about the accident so we can recommend effective preventative measures to help reduce the risk of future occurrences.”
The Snowbirds fleet remains grounded as the Royal Canadian Air Force conducts a thorough risk assessment.
