Author Topic: Snowbirds Crash shortly after takeoff in Kamloops  (Read 796 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Omni

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8563
Snowbirds Crash shortly after takeoff in Kamloops
« on: May 17, 2020, 04:28:23 pm »
Two Canada Snowbirds jets took off from Kamloops earlier today heading west to continue their tour schedule. One of the aircraft went into a sudden climb and then fell out of the sky and crashed very close to a house. It appears from video both pilots aboard ejected and one landed on the roof of the same house. Details are sketchy at the moment.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Sad Sad x 1 View List

Offline Queefer Sutherland

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10188
Air shows are dumb.

I've been to one, they're cool, but they're also dumb.  Luckily they stay away from people when in formation for safety reasons.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley
Agree Agree x 2 Dumb Dumb x 1 View List

Offline Omni

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8563
Air shows are dumb.

I've been to one, they're cool, but they're also dumb.  Luckily they stay away from people when in formation for safety reasons.

Well actually this wasn't an airshow it was just a flight to reposition the aircraft. Of course heading for another show but I'll be interested to see what went wrong here. I'm suspecting some form of mechanical but too early to tell.
Agree Agree x 1 Sad Sad x 1 View List

Offline wilber

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9120
Air shows are dumb.

I've been to one, they're cool, but they're also dumb.  Luckily they stay away from people when in formation for safety reasons.

Air shows are great. It isn't luck, show lines are intended to keep them away from spectators.
« Last Edit: May 17, 2020, 09:04:07 pm by wilber »
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline Omni

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8563
Air shows are great. It isn't luck, show lines are intended to keep them away from spectators.

I have to suspect a control problem. There were two pilots aboard and the Tutor has duals so you'd think one coulds have taken control if it was some form of incapacitation. But that's just my latest guess.

Offline wilber

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9120
Sounds like he had a problem and was doing a zoom climb to get enough altitude to eject. The Tutor is a great little machine for the kind of show the Snowbirds do but being old I guess it doesn't have modern zero level ejection seats.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline Omni

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8563
Sounds like he had a problem and was doing a zoom climb to get enough altitude to eject. The Tutor is a great little machine for the kind of show the Snowbirds do but being old I guess it doesn't have modern zero level ejection seats.

That sounds about right, and I stand corrected, the lady who died was not a pilot. Just hearing the RCAF inspection team has arrived on scene and the pilot is expected to recover so it will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Offline wilber

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9120
The Tutor is a perfect aircraft for the kind of show the Snowbirds do and sets them apart from every other military aerobatic team. The aircraft can last just about forever if maintained properly and they have plenty of spares. My question would be, is it possible to update the ejection seats could be updated and would it be economically feasible? It's likely both have survived with few or no injuries if modern zero level seats had been installed.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dan7uE6MS_k&feature=emb_rel_end
« Last Edit: May 19, 2020, 12:20:46 pm by wilber »
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline JMT

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3462
  • Location: Waterhen, Manitoba
I've heard people on other forums say that even a zero ejection seat would have done little at that height and angle.

Offline wilber

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9120
I've heard people on other forums say that even a zero ejection seat would have done little at that height and angle.
Depends on the seat. The Martin Baker M14 seat used in F18's has five different programs depending on speed and altitude. The drogue fires 0.5 seconds after the seat moves and the chute in 1.5 seconds.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline Michael Hardner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12472
Kind of surprised that no one here is suggesting that the show be shut down...

Offline wilber

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9120
Kind of surprised that no one here is suggesting that the show be shut down...

Why shut it down? It’s not like these things never happen in aviation. The Snowbirds are up there with things like hockey and the Musical Ride when it comes to internationally known Canadian icons.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline Michael Hardner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12472
I don't know... the dying ?

Offline JMT

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3462
  • Location: Waterhen, Manitoba
I would go for it - it serves no purpose.

Offline wilber

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9120
I don't know... the dying ?

Including this one, nine in 50 years. Oh the horror.
You don't get drafted into something like the Snowbirds, it's something many aspire to but very few ever get to do.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC