The Department of National Defence’s Airworthiness Investigative Authority has issued a preliminary report in relation to the Snowbirds accident in Kamloops on May 17 that claimed the life of the team’s Public Affairs Officer, Captain Jennifer Casey.

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 post take-off phase. The flight safety investigation will focus on environmental factors (the bird strike) and the performance of the escape system, as is the case in all accidents involving ejections.

Colonel John Alexander, Director of Flight Safety and Department of National Defence’s Airworthiness Investigative Authority, says, “During any Flight Safety investigation, we focus on completing a thorough, accurate and professional investigation. 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. 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 Canadian Forces Snowbirds were deployed on Operation INSPIRATION, a cross-Canada tour to lift the spirits of Canadians and salute front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Operation INSPIRATION has been delayed indefinitely.