Snowbird member dies in crash in Kamloops

One person has died and another is badly injured after a Canadian Force's Snowbird plane crashed in a residential area of Kamloops, B.C., while on a cross-country tour meant to impart hope during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce that one member of the CF Snowbirds team has died and one has sustained serious injuries. We can confirm that we have contacted all primary family members of those involved," said RCAF Sunday, May 17.

Capt. Jennifer Casey has been identified as the person who died reported Castanet News. Casey was the public relations officer for the Snowbirds.

Dramatic video footage posted to social media captured the crash. The video appears to show a pilot and another member ejecting from the plane before it nosedived into a residential zone.

Photos of the aftermath showed members of the armed forces, Kamloops Fire Rescue, RCMP and BC Ambulance Service attending at the scene. At one point a person was seen taken from the roof of a home by a stretcher.

Videos of the incident show parachutes may not have been deployed or fully deployed by the ejecting pilot. It wasn't initially clear whether there was only one person ejected from the plane or two, however, two objects appear to separate from the spiralling plane before impact.

Federal Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan expressed sadness and said his thoughts were with the Snowbirds' crew. The ministry will provide updates as more information comes in.

The crash sent neighbours pouring onto the street where they said debris was scattered and a house was on fire.

Kenny Hinds, who lives in a house seven doors down from the crash site, said it looked like the living room of the house where the crash occurred was on fire, reported Canadian Press.

"I just started running down the street," said Hinds. "And I got there maybe a minute after it crashed and there was a couple of residents that had their hoses out and they were trying to put the flames out because it hit a house. It looked like most of it landed in the front yard, but maybe a wing or something went through the roof perhaps.

"So there was a bunch of people running around trying to see if we could get into the house to see if anybody's OK."

Hinds had been watching the aircraft after hearing them take off, and said he was able to see the crash.

"I heard 'bang, bang,' and just as I looked before it left my view from the house beside me, I saw the Snowbird going straight down," he said. "I saw what looked like a parachute about, say, 20 feet over the house, and it disappeared from sight, and the parachute hadn't fully deployed yet-it was still sort of straight up and down."

Marni Capostinsky said she lives across the street from the crash site and was out on the deck when she heard the plane getting closer.

"We ran out under the cover to look and saw something black coming towards us, everyone hit the deck it was so loud," she said.

Capostinsky said there were large flames flaring on and off and a strong toxic smell filled the air.

She said her son immediately ran out with a hose and neighbours tried to help before first responders arrived.

"It was really scary but good to see everyone trying to come together," Capostinsky said.

Rose Miller lives directly across the street from where the plane hit. She'd watched the Snowbirds arrive on Saturday, and went to her front window when she heard the roar of jet engines.

Miller said she heard a loud bang and wondered whether it might be a sonic boom. Then she watched the plane smash onto the ground.

"It looked to me like it was mostly on the road, but it just exploded. It went everywhere," she said. "In fact, I got a big huge piece in my backyard. The [police] said it was the ejection seat."

Miller said a couple in their early 70s live in the home. Both are OK, she said, noting she'd spoken with them after they were evacuated to a nearby street. The woman had been in the basement while the man was behind the house.

Miller said a section of roof on a nearby street has been covered up.

Sunday's crash occurred the same day the Snowbirds were scheduled to make a trip from Kamloops to Kelowna as part of Operation Inspiration, aimed at boosting the morale of Canadians struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of the defence staff, tweeted his condolences to all those affected.

"To all Snowbirds past and present, and their families, you have my deepest sympathies on behalf of all ranks of the Canadian Armed Forces," he wrote.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that his thoughts are with "the brave members" of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

"I would also like to thank the emergency personnel in Kamloops who responded so quickly to this tragic incident," he wrote.

Sunday's crash follows the downing of another Snowbird in the U.S. state of Georgia last October, where the team was scheduled to perform in an air show.

Capt. Kevin Domon-Grenier sustained minor injuries when he ejected from the plane, which crashed into a farmer's field. No one else was hurt.

A preliminary report on last year's Snowbird crash blamed engine failure, though military investigators had yet to identify the cause of the problem.

"Following a routine check while inverted, the pilot rolled level and applied full power to rejoin the formation," read the report.

"Shortly after the pilot experienced a loss of thrust. Losing altitude and unable to recover engine power, the pilot elected to eject as the aircraft was too low to attempt a safe recovery to an airport."

The Snowbirds have performed at air shows across Canada and the U.S. for decades and are considered a key tool for raising awareness about-and recruiting for-the air force. Eleven aircraft are used during shows, with nine flying and two kept as spares.

The air force obtained its Tutor jets in 1963 and has used them in air demonstrations since 1971. Prior to Sunday's crash, seven pilots and one passenger had been killed and several aircraft had been lost over the course of the Snowbirds' history.