Around noon, the aircraft took off from North Peace Regional Airport in Fort St. John, according to a statement from the local air show company. “Despite all the safety precautions taken, incidents do happen and it’s heartbreaking in the air show world,” a spokesperson wrote. In a Facebook post, the city of Fort St. John said first responders were called to the airport for an “aircraft incident” involving a fire. It also said no injuries were immediately reported. The representative of CF Maj. Trevor Reid confirmed those details in an email to CTV News, saying the plane was damaged but the pilot, who was the only person on board, “was not physically injured.” Reed added that the cause is being investigated and the pilot is undergoing further medical evaluation. “It is too early to tell what impact this incident may have on future Snowbirds performances. We are grateful for the rapid response from local first responders,” he continued. “Our thoughts are with our member at this time.” The squadron was in Fort St. John for the city’s annual air show over the weekend with their next stop scheduled for Penticton on Wednesday. In 2020, Capt. Jennifer Casey of the Snowbirds died when her plane crashed in Kamloops, BC An investigation revealed that a small bird flew into the plane’s engine shortly after takeoff from Fulton Field at the city’s airport, causing it to lose power. The pilot gave the command to eject, but the plane was too low for Casey to safely deploy her parachute. The Snowbirds remained on the ground for three months after her death.
