A Canada Day tragedy has rocked a tight-knit flying community east of Winnipeg after a small aircraft crashed shortly after take-off, killing two people.
The four-passenger Piper-PA 28-140 went down around 9:30 am Friday at Lyncrest Airport near Deacon’s Corner and Highway 15 in Springfield, Man.
It’s the first crash at the airport in 24 years, according to manager Jim Gould.
“It is disturbing, because we know a lot of people out of that flight centre,” said Fire Chief Jeff Hudson, who responded to the call. “They’re a very tight family."
RCMP attended the scene and firefighters extinguished the burning wreckage. No victims were taken to hospital.
Recreational Aircraft Association Winnipeg chapter president Jim Oke told CTV Winnipeg the crashed plane belonged to the RAA and the pilot had beginning to intermediate experience.
The plane was 20 years old and factory-made.
“We’re very sad, of course, that two members have lost their lives very tragically on this holiday,” said Oke, who noted the weather conditions were ideal for flying.
"This is a perfect day, I mean the clouds are high, the ceiling is high as we would call, it and it's clear so we can see everything," said pilot Norm Leray.
The RAA keeps two planes at Lyncrest and has 30 members who use the planes.
The Springfield Flying Club has been in operation since the 1940s and boasts around 100 members.
Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Roxanne Daoust could not confirm the number of passengers in the Piper or what led to the crash, but said she expects the TSB to release more information later Saturday.
Lyncrest Airport remains open.
With a report from CTV Winnipeg
