Captain Jenn Casey was killed Sunday when the Canadian Snowbirds jet she was riding in experienced trouble and crashed shortly after takeoff from Kamloops, British Columbia.
The pilot of the jet, Snowbird #11 Captain Richard MacDougall, survived the crash but sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. He remains in the hospital.
Captain Casey has been the team’s Public Affairs Officer (PAO) since the beginning of the 2019 show season. Before that, she served as the PAO for the CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team during the 2018 show season. Her time with the teams made her a well-known face within the airshow industry.
Her full biography from the Snowbirds’ website reads:
Captain Jenn Casey is from Halifax, Nova Scotia. She joined the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2014 as a direct entry officer. Prior to joining she spent several years working in broadcast radio as a reporter, anchor, and producer in both Halifax, NS and Belleville, ON.
She has a Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University, a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College, and a Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University.
Her first assignment as a Public Affairs Officer was at 8 Wing Trenton, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s home of air mobility. She spent the 2018 season with the CF-18 Demo Team, travelling North America and the United Kingdom with the NORAD 60 jet. Captain Casey joined the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in November 2018.
With airshows shut down for the time being, the Snowbirds have instead been flying over communities across Canada during Operation Inspiration. The flyovers are to honor first responders and essential workers, and to lift the spirits of Canadians in the face of the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic.
The team is expected to observe a safety stand down and return to their home base in Moose Jaw while the crash is under investigation.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of both team members, and we wish Capt. MacDougall a full recovery.
Esther G. Mejia
Our condolences to entire family, friends and crewmen of Capt. Jenn Casey. We are very saddened of her fate.
Capt. Jenn Casey, may you
Rest In Peace and may the Heavens of Paradise greet you. May God receive you with open arms and say to you “Good and faithful servant, I am well pleased with you. You have earned your Crown.”
How is it that the Pilot Capt. R. MacDougall got to eject at last minute and Capt. Casey did not? Was she even warned to eject? Something doesn’t sound right. We are all in awe.
Ms. Esther G. Mejia;
San Antonio, Texas U.S.A.
Civilian, Randolph Air Force Base.
jim
You are an idiot
Dan
Appeared that both ejected, but were very low to the ground. Her chute may not have fully deployed.
Nicholas Jenkins
This sad news I did not know about this until last night. I am really saddened that the RCAF Snowbirds lost a pilot, but luckily one still injured but alive is a relief. My thoughts and prayers go out to the team.
Mary
If you look at video of them ejecting two people did eject my guess would be as Dan said that they were too low to the ground for her shute to deploy. one observer in Kamloops said he heard two bangs and saw black smoke My guess is that was the ejectors operating and the black smoke is what you see in the video
A Olsson
What a cheap shot from “Jim” who does not reveal his full name or why he feels that way about Ms Mejia’s message, that was probably based on early information about the accident.
BOB WILKINSON
MY condolences to Capt JENNS and her family she was an asset to the snowbirds my she rest in peace