Operational Pause Ordered on RCAF CT-114 Fleet

On August 2, a CT-114 Tutor aircraft of 431 (Air Demonstration) Squadron experienced an emergency during takeoff in Fort St. John, B.C. The pilot, who was sole occupant, was able to land the plane immediately, but the plane was damaged in the process. The pilot was medically assessed and was uninjured. An investigation into the accident by the RCAF’s Directorate of Flight Safety is currently underway.

As the Operational Airworthiness Authority for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Major General Iain Huddleston implemented the operational pause after consulting with Directorate of Flight Safety investigators and with experts from the Technical Airworthiness Authority within the Department of National Defence’s Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel).

The RCAF will conduct a deliberate, detailed and broad risk analysis, with the aim of enabling the safe resumption of CT-114 flying operations.This operational pause means the fleet of aircraft will not fly until an operational airworthiness risk assessment can be completed.

The RCAF’s airworthiness system will assess whether the accident and its causes pose any risk to continued flying operations, and if so, what mitigation measures can but put in place to lower those risks. The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Directorate of Flight Safety.

The RCAF has an active fleet of 20 CT-114 Tutor aircraft, operated by 431 (AD) Squadron based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.