Formation flying occasionally has accidents. The danger is part of the draw for the crowd. How can these planes fly so close together without colliding? Performance teams like the Canadian Snowbirds, Blue Angels, and Air Force Thunderbirds do dozens of shows each year without any incidents.

Still, over the years, pilots have died during demonstrations. I didn't realize that one of them died tragically when they crashed into one of the Great Lakes.

The reason I stumbled on this was because the Canadian Snowbirds are doing their 100th-year anniversary show over Lake Superior in Duluth on July 31st. Lots of people are excited about this, and I agree! I love air shows (like the Duluth Air & Aviation Expo).

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I started searching for videos of them performing to see what they were about. I remember watching them in 2008 when they flew over Lake Superior and did a show for us. But that was 16 years ago!

Read More: Duluth To Host Free International Airshow On July 31st Over Lake Superior

That's when I stumbled on the video of a tragedy that took place in Toronto over Lake Ontario. While doing a stunt, two of the Snowbird's CT-114 Tutor aircraft touched wingtips, causing the planes to spiral out of control.

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Retrontario YouTube
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Sadly, one of the planes dived directly into the water. Other pilots believe that the 24-year-old pilot who died didn't pull his plane out of the dive because he would have crashed into a fleet of spectators.

The other plane burst into flames and came crashing down.

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Retrontario YouTube
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That pilot was able to eject and parachute to safety, landing in the water not far from spectators.

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Retrontario YouTube
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TV stations across the world broadcast the footage. Viewer Discretion is advised.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF

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