A military investigation finds a bird strike played a role in the fatal Snowbirds crash in Kamloops, B.C., last May.
The Department of National Defence released the investigation report and recommendations on Monday.
Capt. Jenn Casey, a native of Halifax, died in the crash while Capt. Richard MacDougall suffered serious injuries.
Findings show the plane’s engine “ingested” a small bird following takeoff, leading to a compressor stall and loss of power.
“Upon loss of power, the pilot initiated a climb straight ahead and then a turn back towards the airport,” said a news release from the Department of National Defence.
“During this manoeuver, the aircraft entered into an aerodynamic stall and the pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft.”
Casey and MacDougall ejected from the plane but investigators found they were too low for their parachutes to work properly.
The report makes five recommendations, which include more training on engine-related emergencies after takeoff, clarifying the command to ‘eject’; publishing a directive to clarify how aircrew should prioritize an ejection-scenario near or over a populated area; and researching potential options to stabilize the ejection seat from any tendency to pitch, roll, or yaw.
“Snowbird 11’s power loss could not have come at a worse time – low altitude, low airspeed, proximity to another aircraft, and in the vicinity of a built-up area,” Col. John Alexander, Director of Flight Safety for the Royal Canadian Air Force, said in a statement.
“This tragic accident reinforces the importance of continuous, situation-specific training to minimize reaction time in an emergency and the importance of a timely decision to eject.”
