The RCAF’s CT-114 Tutor Snowbirds at St Catharines Airport. Credit: Balcer/commons.wikimedia.org.

The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) has confirmed that the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has lifted the operational suspension implemented on the CT-114 fleet.

This order was directed by the RCAF’s Operational Airworthiness Authority (OAA) and 1 Canadian Air Division commander major general Iain Huddleston.

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The new order is in effect from 20 September.

Issued on 8 August, the orders to temporarily halt all the CT-114 operations were imposed after the aircraft suffered an emergency while taking off from Fort St John in British Columbia on 2 August.

The OAA implemented the pause after a detailed consultation with the RCAF’s Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS) investigators and DND’s Technical Airworthiness Authority experts.

The DFS also released an initial ‘From the Investigator’ report, confirming that the aircraft’s engine failure was a result of improper assembling of the oil filter.

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After the release of this report, the investigation moved to understand the human factors that may have caused the accident.

The aircraft involved in the accident was assigned under 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, also called Snowbirds.

The Snowbirds’ CT-114 aircraft is currently in Penticton and Fort St John.

Following the latest orders, the squadron will now continue undertaking flying operations, starting this week, at the 15 Wing Moose Jaw’s home base in Saskatchewan, Canada.

However, this year’s remaining scheduled performances of the squadron have been cancelled.

Huddleston said: “Thanks to the thoroughness of our investigative processes, we have been able to conduct a complete risk analysis that has shown it is safe for the CT-114 Tutor fleet to resume flying.

“Looking forward, we will provide the Snowbirds with the support they need as they build towards their 2023 show season.”

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