Canadian air force jet grounded after 'possible bird strike' at U.S. airshow
The Canadian military is investigating after a "possible bird strike" grounded a CF-18 demonstration jet during an airshow Wednesday.
The pilot was uninjured in the incident at the Wild Wednesday Air Show in Ypsilanti, Mich., outside of Detroit.
Maj. Trevor Reid, a spokesperson for 1 Canadian Air Division, said the aerobatic performance "was cut short due to a possible bird strike," but said investigators are still examining the plane to determine what happened.
"The pilot experienced something, which per his safety checklist caused him to return, in accordance with his standard operating procedures, to the airfield," Reid said, confirming the issue arose with at least one of the aircraft's engines.
"I'm not going to speculate as to what exactly it was the pilot experienced. That's all part of the inspection part of the investigation at the moment," he added.
"We have a very professional team of technicians who know the CF-18 very well and we have high confidence they will be able to determine the fault."
The demonstration team is scheduled to perform at Canadian Forces Base Borden in Ontario on June 18 and 19.
The spokesperson said it is "far too early to say" whether those performances will be cancelled or rescheduled due to the issue with the aircraft.
"There is a second jet that the CF-18 Demo Team has in case of technical issues with the primary aircraft," he added.
A statement on the team's Twitter account expressed regret at having to cut the Michigan performance short, but noted "safety is our first priority."
The incident occurred just over two years since a bird strike was blamed for the fatal crash of a Snowbird jet near Kamloops, B.C.
Public affairs officer Capt. Jenn Casey was killed on May 17, 2020 after a small bird was sucked into the engine of her CT-114 Tutor aircraft shortly after takeoff.
The CF-18 demonstration team showcases Canada's twin-engine CF-18 Hornet fighter jets during aerobatic performances and flypasts in Canada and the U.S.
Its team members are divided between 3 Wing Bagotville in Quebec and 4 Wing Cold Lake in Alberta.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Boeing is on the verge of launching astronauts aboard new capsule, the newest entry to space travel
It’s the first flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule with a crew on board, a pair of NASA pilots who will check out the spacecraft during the test drive and a weeklong stay at the space station.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.