Freedom Is Never 'Free': CF-18 Crash Kills Canadian Forces Pilot | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Wed, May 28, 2003

Freedom Is Never 'Free': CF-18 Crash Kills Canadian Forces Pilot

A Canadian Forces fighter pilot was killed in a Monday accident, at approximately 1420. The accident occurred during a training mission, in northeastern Alberta. Piloted by Capt. Kevin Naismith (38), the CF-18 based at the 416th TFS, went down on the Primrose Air Weapons Range about 3 miles North of Burnt Lake, Alberta. Naismith's Hornet was one of many involved in an exercise. 

The investigation is still underway and in it's earliest stages, but poor weather may have played a part in this accident, which terminated after a steep descent to impact. Tragically; Naismith (right) appears to have attempted a very late ejection, as his body was found over 500 feet away from his aircraft attached to his chute.

Naismith joined the Canadian Forces in 1991 and had logged more than 2,000 hours in the Hornet. The accident occurred while he was flying as part of a two-ship formation at 3000 feet. Naismith was one of some 50 other aircraft working an international air combat exercise, Operation Maple Flag, involving Canada, France, Belgium and the US. Sixteen CF-18s have been lost to accidents since the aircraft was first deployed in 1982.

Naismith was married and the father of three children. They'll be in our prayers...

FMI: www.airforce.forces.gc.ca

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23

Pilot Also Reported That Due To A Fuel Leak, The Auxiliary Fuel Tanks Were Not Used On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damage>[...]

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: One Man’s Vietnam

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racis>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.03.25)

Aero Linx: Colorado Pilots Association (CPA) Colorado Pilots Association was incorporated as a Colorado Nonprofit Corporation in 1972. It is a statewide organization with over 700 >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.03.25): High Speed Taxiway

High Speed Taxiway A long radius taxiway designed and provided with lighting or marking to define the path of aircraft, traveling at high speed (up to 60 knots), from the runway ce>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC