The Canadian Air Force flight safety investigation into the accident that killed Canadian Forces Snowbird pilot Capt. Shawn McCaughey on May 18 at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., found that his seat belt “became unfastened.” At the time, McCaughey and teammates were practicing for an aerial demonstration at Malmstrom. The investigation summary notes that initial analysis shows McCaughey fell out of his seat during an inverted roll maneuver, causing him “to lose control of the aircraft.” The investigation into why the seat belt became unfastened is still ongoing.
Former AFCENT Commander Reflects on Lessons of Epic Fury
Sept. 13, 2026
Operation Epic Fury marked the U.S. military's largest air campaign in a generation, with strikes on 13,000 targets in Iran before the first in a series of shaky ceasefires began in April. Now, even as hostilities continue to flare up, Lt. Gen. Derek C. France sees several clear lessons that…
