A Canadian Forces Snowbird pilot, Capt. Shawn McCaughey, died Friday afternoon when his CT-114 Tutor jet struck the ground during a practice for an air show at Malmstrom AFB, Mont. Base officials, in consultation with the Snowbird team, said the base open house would continue as planned on Saturday, but they put aerial demonstrations on hold during the accident investigation process. During a press conference, the Snowbird leader, Maj. Robert Mitchell, told reporters that McCaughey was flying inverted at about 300 feet above ground, which he termed a routine maneuver, when the jet crashed. The Toronto Star reports that 31-year-old McCaughey was in his second year with the team and had been a member of the Canadian Forces since 2000. He was a former instructor pilot, but had no previous experience with the Tutor jet used by the Snowbirds since 1971.
Celebrating 100 Years of Liquid-Fueled Rockets
March 11, 2026
March 16, 2026, marks 100 years since Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Over the past century, new and ever more capable liquid-fueled rockets have literally propelled humanity into space. Why liquid-fueled rockets?