December 13, 2025
They were returning home to Vernon amid much fanfare, having just captured the Canadian Senior “B” lacrosse title—the Presidents Cup. But on September 7, 1976, the Vernon Lodge Tigers’ triumphant plane journey from Winnipeg took an unexpected and dramatic turn.
After departing Lethbridge for refueling, a fire was discovered in the rear of the plane near the bathroom. Pilot Barry Lapointe and co-pilot Bill Jurome acted swiftly, radioing Calgary International Airport for guidance. They were advised to attempt a landing at Pincher Creek Airport, but the fire was spreading too quickly. In a split-second decision, Lapointe chose to bring the plane down in an open field, dropping approximately 12,000 feet in under four minutes to prevent smoke inhalation for everyone on board.
Miraculously, all survived. Players praised the calmness and skill of the pilots, remarking that “it was a landing like at Calgary International Airport.” One player, overcome with relief, hugged and kissed Lapointe on the spot. RCMP officers from Pincher Creek called the emergency landing “a beautiful piece of work.”
Tragically, the fire spread to the fuel tanks, destroying the plane and most of the Tigers’ equipment. Among the few remnants is the frame of an aluminum goalie’s face mask, preserved in the Vernon Museum’s collection, fused with a portion of the burnt aircraft. Amazingly, the worst injury to any player was a singed pant leg. Following the crash, the team endured a grueling 13-hour bus ride back to Vernon.
Vernon had been preparing a grand welcome. A victory parade was scheduled for 4 p.m. that day, since this marked the first time a team from the Interior Lacrosse Association had won the Presidents Cup. Instead, family members spent hours anxiously awaiting updates on the bus arrival. Though the celebration was more subdued, many locals still lined the streets to greet the team, who were ironically paraded atop a fire truck.
Decades later, the story remains unforgettable. In 2018, during the 40th anniversary of their third consecutive Presidents Cup win in 1978, team members reflected on the ‘76 crash with awe, grateful that every teammate had survived.
The Vernon Tigers were later inducted into the Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame and are featured alongside other remarkable local athletes in the Museum’s 2026 fundraising calendar, Together in Sports, developed in partnership with the Vernon Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society. This story of courage, quick thinking, and survival is a vivid reminder of the resilience and determination of local athletes.
Visit the Museum’s gift shop in person or online to purchase your copy of the calendar and celebrate the incredible stories of Vernon’s sports history: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/SMSPM380SXZW2/checkout/LN5GUOXX3VBYSTSSO72EPS62?src=embed.
Archives Manager, Gwyneth Evans