A small plane carrying three individuals crashed just west of Ottawa’s airport on Thursday evening. The incident occurred before 6 p.m. in the vicinity of Riverside Drive and West Hunt Club Road. A resident’s photo displayed the aircraft lodged among the trees. Emergency services arrived at 5:55 p.m., as reported by the Ottawa Paramedic Service. A man and a woman were rescued from the plane and transported to the hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Marc-Antoine Deschamps, a spokesperson for the paramedic service, highlighted the significant effort put forth by emergency services to extricate the two individuals from the plane. The condition of the third person onboard remained unconfirmed. The Transportation Safety Board Canada (TSB) dispatched two investigators to the scene, identifying the plane as a privately-registered Grumman AA-5A.
The Ottawa Airport Fire Service also responded to the crash, ensuring that airport operations continued as usual. Residents in the area recounted hearing and witnessing the crash. Greg Carter, a local resident, described hearing a loud crash while out for a walk, which he initially mistook for a falling tree. As he approached the scene, he observed the plane entangled in power lines.
Pablo Coles, another nearby resident, witnessed the plane flying at a low altitude and immediately contacted emergency services upon hearing a loud noise. Instead of crashing into a house, the plane ended up caught in trees and power lines. Coles noted a significant fuel leak at the crash site, with efforts underway to prevent spillage into a nearby creek leading to the Rideau River.
Ottawa Fire Services’ public information officer, Nick DeFazio, mentioned the application of foam to contain the fuel runoff. Coles also witnessed one of the individuals being escorted by emergency personnel from the wreckage, expressing sadness for those involved in the incident.