Post by Boquest on Aug 24, 2005 21:38:37 GMT -5
Pilot ejects seconds before Snowbird crash
A Snowbird jet crashed in the northern Ontario city of Thunder Bay before an air show Wednesday. The pilot managed to eject and parachute to safety just seconds before the plane crashed in a rural field.
The Department of National Defence said Capt. Andy Mackay, Snowbird 8, was released from hospital after being treated for undisclosed injuries.
"Our main focus at the moment is Capt. Andy Mackay's well-being," said Maj. Ian McLean, commanding officer of Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
Witnesses reported seeing the pilot eject before his plane hit the ground.
Local resident Dennis Trevisanutto Jr., who was standing on the deck of his home when he saw the crash, said he went to rescue the pilot after he saw the parachute descending, and found him in good condition.
"He was fine. He was actually making his way out, just heading south, that's what he told me," Trevisanutto Jr. told CTV Newsnet in a phone interview.
"And I said, 'Well, follow me this way, because I know there's a bunch of emergency units out there so I'll take you out this way,' and we just walked out."
Trevisanutto drove Mackay to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Another eyewitness told Thunder Bay Television that he saw the plane veer immediately towards the ground at a high speed and disappear behind trees.
"After that I saw a puff of smoke come up from the ground, and I also saw a parachute at 5,000 or 6,000 feet in the air," said the eyewitness.
The Snowbirds were ready to appear at 5:30 p.m. in front of tens of thousands of spectators, but the event was cancelled 10 minutes later when it was announced that the plane had crashed.
The team is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Snowbird pilots are selected from the military based on skill and experience, and are tested for their formation-flying proficiency.
The Snowbirds are next scheduled to perform in St. Catharines, Ont., on Saturday and Sunday, but it was not immediately known if the shows would be cancelled.
They are also slated to fly at the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto on Labour Day weekend.
Defence Minister Bill Graham wouldn't say whether the crash will endanger the future of Snowbirds program.
"Until we know exactly what happened, it's very difficult to evaluate the risk factors that was in there," Graham said from Ottawa.
He added the Air Force will carefully review the incident.
"These are extremely professional and qualified young pilots and I have absolute confidence that, whatever happened there, the pilot worked on whatever he could do to do the right thing," Graham said.
According to the Snowbirds' website, Mackay is in his fourth year with the squadron, with over 4,800 hours of military flying experience. He flies the No. 8 jet as the Opposing Solo.
Mark Miller, an aviation expert with the Discovery Channel who has flown with Mackay, describes him as an "excellent pilot ... with certainly a lot of experience."
Miller speculates that catastrophic engine failure may have been behind the cause of the crash.
"When the engines fail on these jets, these guys have no other option than to punch out, to eject. Because there is only one engine in the plane, they've got no other options."
"Andy did what he was supposed to do."
The Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets that Snowbird pilots fly are more than 30 years old. But pilots have defended the program, saying the jets are safe.
Five Snowbird pilots have died since 1972.
In the most recent accident involving the famed Snowbirds aerobatic team, a pilot died in December 2004 when he collided with another jet.
Capt. Miles Selby, 31, of Tsawwassen, B.C., was killed instantly in the crash, 64 kilometres south of Moose Jaw, Sask.
Capt. Chuck Mallett, 35, of Delta, B.C., was thrown from his Tutor jet about 1,100 metres above ground level.
The Snowbirds had dedicated their 35th season in the air to Capt. Selby.
credit: sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1124921792246_55?hub=TopStories
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If you didn't read all of that (I don't blame you) A snowbird that was part of the airshow crashed. Damn, that's pritty freaky as I was watching them this morning. I'm glad he made it out okay, and managed to crash it not into any houses.
A Snowbird jet crashed in the northern Ontario city of Thunder Bay before an air show Wednesday. The pilot managed to eject and parachute to safety just seconds before the plane crashed in a rural field.
The Department of National Defence said Capt. Andy Mackay, Snowbird 8, was released from hospital after being treated for undisclosed injuries.
"Our main focus at the moment is Capt. Andy Mackay's well-being," said Maj. Ian McLean, commanding officer of Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
Witnesses reported seeing the pilot eject before his plane hit the ground.
Local resident Dennis Trevisanutto Jr., who was standing on the deck of his home when he saw the crash, said he went to rescue the pilot after he saw the parachute descending, and found him in good condition.
"He was fine. He was actually making his way out, just heading south, that's what he told me," Trevisanutto Jr. told CTV Newsnet in a phone interview.
"And I said, 'Well, follow me this way, because I know there's a bunch of emergency units out there so I'll take you out this way,' and we just walked out."
Trevisanutto drove Mackay to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Another eyewitness told Thunder Bay Television that he saw the plane veer immediately towards the ground at a high speed and disappear behind trees.
"After that I saw a puff of smoke come up from the ground, and I also saw a parachute at 5,000 or 6,000 feet in the air," said the eyewitness.
The Snowbirds were ready to appear at 5:30 p.m. in front of tens of thousands of spectators, but the event was cancelled 10 minutes later when it was announced that the plane had crashed.
The team is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Snowbird pilots are selected from the military based on skill and experience, and are tested for their formation-flying proficiency.
The Snowbirds are next scheduled to perform in St. Catharines, Ont., on Saturday and Sunday, but it was not immediately known if the shows would be cancelled.
They are also slated to fly at the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto on Labour Day weekend.
Defence Minister Bill Graham wouldn't say whether the crash will endanger the future of Snowbirds program.
"Until we know exactly what happened, it's very difficult to evaluate the risk factors that was in there," Graham said from Ottawa.
He added the Air Force will carefully review the incident.
"These are extremely professional and qualified young pilots and I have absolute confidence that, whatever happened there, the pilot worked on whatever he could do to do the right thing," Graham said.
According to the Snowbirds' website, Mackay is in his fourth year with the squadron, with over 4,800 hours of military flying experience. He flies the No. 8 jet as the Opposing Solo.
Mark Miller, an aviation expert with the Discovery Channel who has flown with Mackay, describes him as an "excellent pilot ... with certainly a lot of experience."
Miller speculates that catastrophic engine failure may have been behind the cause of the crash.
"When the engines fail on these jets, these guys have no other option than to punch out, to eject. Because there is only one engine in the plane, they've got no other options."
"Andy did what he was supposed to do."
The Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets that Snowbird pilots fly are more than 30 years old. But pilots have defended the program, saying the jets are safe.
Five Snowbird pilots have died since 1972.
In the most recent accident involving the famed Snowbirds aerobatic team, a pilot died in December 2004 when he collided with another jet.
Capt. Miles Selby, 31, of Tsawwassen, B.C., was killed instantly in the crash, 64 kilometres south of Moose Jaw, Sask.
Capt. Chuck Mallett, 35, of Delta, B.C., was thrown from his Tutor jet about 1,100 metres above ground level.
The Snowbirds had dedicated their 35th season in the air to Capt. Selby.
credit: sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1124921792246_55?hub=TopStories
_____________________________________
If you didn't read all of that (I don't blame you) A snowbird that was part of the airshow crashed. Damn, that's pritty freaky as I was watching them this morning. I'm glad he made it out okay, and managed to crash it not into any houses.
) I don't know the guy at all.
