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Small plane crashed into trees during takeoff, killing 2 Ottawans, TSB says

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada continues to investigate a small plane crash on Saturday night. (Dave Chidley/CBC - image credit)
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada continues to investigate a small plane crash on Saturday night. (Dave Chidley/CBC - image credit)

The small plane that crashed into a farmer's field near Port Hope, Ont., on Saturday night, killing two Ottawa residents, had struck a line of trees during takeoff moments earlier, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).

Its two occupants — 74-year-old Alvin Crosby and 72-year-old Suzanne Parent — were pronounced dead at the scene, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said on Sunday.

The aircraft was a Piper Cherokee PA-28 with a dual console, and was taking off from a private air strip — Canton Aerodrome, near Kellogg and Massey roads — when the crash occurred just before 9 p.m. Saturday.

It will be up to the TSB to determine who was in control of the plane at the time of the crash, according to Const. Rob Simpson, a spokesperson for Northumberland OPP.

After striking the treeline the plane crashed into a field about 80 metres from the runway, according to Sébastien Lachapelle, a regional investigator for the air branch of the TSB.

"The impact with the ground was enough to destroy the airplane," said Lachapelle, who spent Sunday examining the site with another investigator.

Fuel leak

Emergency responders were notified when the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter was activated, which sent a signal to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., Lachapelle said.

Firefighters, police and paramedics were notified and responded.

The plane was leaking fuel in the field after impact but there was no fire. Crews managed to stop the leak and the Ministry of the Environment was notified of the spill, OPP said.

Police have since cleared the crash site, and the TSB is investigating.

In an email on Sunday, the TSB said two investigators were deployed Sunday morning to collect data, images and interviews with witnesses.

The board will then decide whether to carry out a full investigation, the statement said.