RCAF CT-114 Tutor fleet returns to flying operations

After a pause of more than three months, the Commander of 2 Canadian Air Division, Brigadier-General Denis O’Reilly, has lifted the operational pause on the CT-114 Tutor fleet on 24 August 2020.

The pause was implemented following a Snowbirds accident in Kamloops (B.C.) on 17 May 2020, which resulted in the death of Captain Jennifer Casey, the Snowbirds Public Affairs Officer.

A thorough technical and operational risk analysis has resulted in a series of risk mitigation measures. Due to the fact that there were two CT-114 accidents within eight months, the scope of the analysis was broader.

The mitigation measures place some restrictions on flying operations and focus on increased maintenance requirements.

A Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS) investigation into the Kamloops accident continues. Once the DFS investigation is complete, the RCAF will determine if further mitigation measures are required.

Quick facts reported so far are:

• The DFS investigation into the Kamloops accident is focusing on environmental factors (birdstrike) as well as the performance of the escape system, as is the case in all ejection-related accidents. A preliminary "From the Investigator" report was published on 1 June 2020
• The DFS investigation into the Georgia accident, which occurred on 13 October 2019, determined that the most probable cause of the accident was a fuel delivery system failure within the engine. The Flight Safety Investigation Report was publicly released on 29 June 2020
• The RCAF has a total of 23 CT-114 Tutor aircraft, including 18 with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron at CFB Moose Jaw (Sas.). There are also five at the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment "Experto Crede" at CFB Cold Lake/Group Captain R.W. McNair (Alta.), which are on the verge of retirement and storage

Photos: Rob Sowald and Andrew Jewson (all via Scramble Magazine)

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