Photo: Castanet Staff

Firefighters carry an injured Capt. Richard MacDougall from the roof of a home in Brocklehurst after a Snowbirds jet crashed in the neighbourhood on May 17, 2020.

It’s been two years since a Snowbirds jet crashed in Brocklehurst, killing Capt. Jenn Casey and injuring a pilot.

The Snowbirds arrived in Kamloops in mid-May of 2020 as part of Operation Inspiration, a cross-country effort spearheaded by Casey that set out to bring joy to homebound Canadians during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 17, 2020, a Snowbirds jet with Casey and Capt. Richard MacDougall on board struck a bird on takeoff, causing an engine to fail and the plane to crash.

Casey and MacDougall ejected from the plane above Brocklehurst, falling on a property on Schriener Street. MacDougall landed on the roof of the home while Casey struck a tree and was killed.

MacDougall was the plane's pilot. Casey was the Snowbirds' public affairs manager.

Last year, the City of Kamloops announced plans for a memorial park to rise near Kamloops Airport in Casey’s honour.

The Captain Jenn Casey Memorial at Fulton Field Park is slated to be constructed next year.