Pilot who crashed plane at Cold Lake Airshow was a frequent flyer at Nelson Flightfest
By Nelson Daily Staff
Members of the Nelson Pilots Association are mourning the loss of a pilot who crashed Sunday afternoon at the Cold Lake Air Show in Alberta.
Bruce Evans, a Calgary-based pilot was flying his T-28 Trojan aircraft when he crashed around 2 p.m. MT.
“(Bruce) was a very professional airman . . . flew by the book,” said Case Grypma of the Nelson Pilots Association.
“He never took chances . . .. Absolutely loved what he did . . . living the dream,” Grypma added.
Grypma said Evans was part of Nelson Flightfest in 2008, 2011 and 2014. The Heritage City event, which showcased aerobatic gliders to Canadian Military aircraft.
“Bruce was great family man who usually took his family with him to events,” said Grypma, who helped organize Sunday’s Nelson Airport Appreciation Day at the Lakeside Drive based facility.
“He really loved Nelson and the friends he made here over the years.”
The Cold Lake Air Show, held annually at CFB Cold Lake, 290 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, features premier military pilots from Canada and around the world.
The remainder of the show was cancelled after Sunday’s crash.
Evans, 59, developed an interest in aviation form an early age and in 2007, he purchased his T-28B Trojan — the plane he was flying at the time of Sunday’s crash.
“We express our deepest sympathies,” CFB Cold Lake said in statement on pilot’s death at Alberta air show.
The statement issued late Sunday afternoon, said emergency services discovered Evans was dead as soon as the scene was secured.
“4 Wing and CFB Cold Lake and the Cold Lake Air Show express our condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Mr. Evans,” the statement said.
The weekend air show attracted around 20,000 people to Cold Lake and features premier military pilots from Canada and around the world.
