Tuesday’s crash in northern B.C. involving a Snowbirds plane has resulted in the cancellation of their scheduled appearance at the Abbotsford Air Show and left the fate of next week’s White Rock show up in the air for now.
A Snowbirds pilot walked away unscathed from a rare air show plane crash Aug. 2, after their plane went down while taking off from the North Peace Regional Airport shortly after noon.
The cause of the crash is being investigated and the pilot is unharmed.
“Despite all of the safety precautions that are taken, incidents do happen and it’s heart-breaking in the air show world,” the Fort St. John International Air Show Society said in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, the Snowbirds are scheduled to take flight over White Rock on Tuesday, Aug. 9, during their Fly for C.H.I.L.D. event.
The sole occupant (pilot) did not sustain physical injuries and is being assessed by medical personnel. This incident is the subject of an RCAF flight safety investigation. It is too early to say what impact this incident may have on future performances by the Snowbirds.
— Royal Canadian Air Force (@RCAF_ARC) August 2, 2022
On Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 2) Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) tweeted, “It is too early to say what impact this incident may have on future performances by the Snowbirds.”
The air show, should it go ahead, is scheduled for 6 p.m. over Semiahmoo Bay in a family-friendly event that often brings out thousands of eager spectators.
After performing in the skies above White Rock in 2017, the Snowbirds returned last year with a quick two-pass flyover of the city, due to pandemic-related restrictions on gatherings in place at the time.
The Snowbirds’ triumphant 2022 return was announced as a full-scale air show over the city of White Rock.
All proceeds from sponsors and merchandise sales from performances go to the C.H.I.L.D. Foundation, which supports children with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, while working to find a cure.
– files from Jane Skrypnek, Sobia Moman