Emergency crews responded to an “aviation incident” at the North Peace Regional Airport in Fort St. John Tuesday afternoon after a Canadian Forces Snowbird pilot narrowly avoided serious injury..The City of Fort St. John Fire Department arrived to an already extinguished fire thanks to the airport’s fire response..The aircraft malfunctioned and went down during takeoff..“Despite all of the safety precautions that are taken, incidents do happen and it’s heartbreaking in the air show world,” read a statement from the Fort St. John International Air Show..“We are happy to share that the pilot was not harmed, and the cause of the crash is currently being investigated.”.The close call comes less than three years after Snowbird Capt. Jennifer Casey died in Kamloops, BC when a small bird flew into the aircraft’s engine shortly after takeoff, causing the plane to lose power and crash.
