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Investigation into 2016 air show pilot's death inconclusive

The Air Transportation Safety investigation into the death of a pilot during the 2016 Cold Lake Air Show is inconclusive. A report released on the findings on Friday, Jan.
Bruce Evans was a seasoned pilot who carried the valid documentation at the time of his death during the 2016 Cold Lake Air Show. His plane crashed into the ground during his
Bruce Evans was a seasoned pilot who carried the valid documentation at the time of his death during the 2016 Cold Lake Air Show. His plane crashed into the ground during his performance at the event.

The Air Transportation Safety investigation into the death of a pilot during the 2016 Cold Lake Air Show is inconclusive.

A report released on the findings on Friday, Jan. 5, stated the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada cannot confirm what could have caused the 2016 incident ending in the death of experienced Calgary pilot, Bruce Evans.

“We don't have a finding as to cause for the accident. Part of that is to do with the fact that the aircraft was almost completely destroyed by the accident. Being an older aircraft, it didn't have a monitor or data-gathering system, and tragically, the pilot was killed. We don't have any information as to what actually happened in the cockpit,” explained Fred Burow, senior investigator operations with the TSB. “It's difficult to do a final determination.”

Burow explained the report published by the TSB was fact-release only, because the investigation didn't go into a full causal investigation.

The information released did conclude the engine and flight controls for the aircraft had been operating normally, and weather was determined not to be a factor.

On July 17, 2016, Evans was scheduled to perform at the Cold Lake Air Show.

During his aerobatic routine, his plane crashed into the ground.

The report released by the TSB said at the practice run of the routine the day before, on July 16, 2016, everything ran smoothly.

At one point in Evans' performance, he flew 500-feet above ground level, described in the report as “the defined airspace for the routine,” while performing a roll.

As his aircraft reached an inverted position, the roll stopped and the nose began to pitch toward the ground, colliding with terrain at a near-vertical position.

Evans was found dead by emergency crews at the scene.

The TSB report described the plane hitting the ground at a high velocity, destroying the aircraft by “impact forces.”

Based on the examination of the wreckage, it was determined that the engine and flight controls had been operating properly prior to impact.

After over a year of investigating the incident, the TSB has concluded that Evans' T-28B Trojan was not the cause of the crash.

The plane was a North American Aviation Inc. tandem-seat, low-wing, aluminum aircraft. It was originally manufactured in 1954 and used as a training aircraft by the U.S. Navy.

Although Evans had held a private pilot licence since 1993, he hadn't flown the T-28B Trojan until November 2007.

After reviewing Evans' log books following a full inspection of the aircraft in April 2016, the TSB found no outstanding defects noted.

“There were no maintenance issues with the aircraft, it was very well maintained by the pilot,” noted Burow.

At the time of the crash, Evans held a valid certificate to conduct aerobatics below 2,000-feet above ground level over unpopulated areas, as well as a statement of aerobatic competency, level 3, permitting Evans to perform aerobatics at an approved air show to a minimum altitude of 500-feet above ground level.

Throughout 2015, Evans had performed at a number of air shows across western Canada without incident.

“He had been a part of the air show circuit for a number of years, and was well respected by other pilots in the organization,” Burow said.

The Cold Lake Air Show was his first for the 2016 season.

Burow said, “We don't have enough evidence to put a cause on why that maneuver ended the way it did. He had a valid medical at the time, his approvals were all in order, he had done training and he was experienced at it. So we don't have anything further than the factual that we put forward.”

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