CF-18 Fighter Jet Crashes During Airshow Rehearsal

A Canadian Air Force pilot is lucky to be alive after the fiery crash of his CF-18 fighter jet during a practice flight for this weekend's Alberta International Air Show.

The top show pilot for the Canadian Forces’ CF-18 fighter jet demonstration team is alert and speaking in hospital after a crash at an Alberta air show Friday afternoon.

Captain Brian Bews, 36, was piloting the jet in low-altitude manoeuvres during a test flight for an air show in Lethbridge when the plane appeared to stall, according to eyewitness accounts. Fragments were seen falling from it, witnesses said.

Capt. Bews ejected from the plane and deployed a parachute. Still, he hit the ground hard and was dragged across the runway. He was taken to a regional hospital. His injuries appear minor, but he is being held in the hospital for observation, family said.

“He’s in the hospital, but he’s not in emerg’ right now,” said sister-in-law Heather Bews. “He said his ego’s hurting pretty bad, but we don’t even care. We don’t care about the plane, the show ... we just care about him.”

The military would not comment on his condition.

By: Shelldrake