Ottawa man facing charges after plane stolen, crashes at Rockcliffe Airport

Stolen plane crashes at Rockcliffe Airport A 64-year-old Ottawa man is facing charges after a stolen plane crashed at the Rockcliffe Airport. CTV's Tyler Fleming reports.

A 64-year-old Ottawa man is facing charges after a plane stolen at the Rockcliffe Airport crashed and struck two parked planes, according to Ottawa police.

Emergency crews responded to a call about a single-plane crash at the airport, located at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum on the Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway, just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Police say a man gained access to the airport and stole a privately owned Cessna plane.

"He attempted to fly the plane from the airport but gained minimal air and then crashed, striking two parked planes in the process," police said.

The man was arrested at the airport and transported to hospital with minor injuries. An Ottawa paramedic spokesperson told CTV News Ottawa Thursday evening a man was transported to hospital in serious but stable condition.

The 64-year-old man is facing charges of theft exceeding $5,000, dangerous operation of a conveyance and operation while prohibited.

Officials temporarily closed the Rockcliffe Airport to all inbound and outbound air traffic for the investigation.

The Transportation Safety Board was contacted, but referred the investigation to the Ottawa Police Service.

CTV News aviation specialist Phyl Durdey says the damage to the planes is extensive.

"It looks like the spar is broken, the wing spar is broken," Durdey said Friday. "As you can tell by the pictures, it has been bent pretty bad. You have to sit there and evaluate whether it’s fixable in the way of cost, if it’s cost-effective to fix the aircraft. It is a classic airplane; a lot of people do rebuild them because it is a classic."

Durdey says it is not very often you hear about thefts of airplanes.

"The aircrafts are in a secure area, the aircraft are locked, the doors are locked on the airplane and the keys are usually kept with the owner."

The Rockcliffe Airport is owned by the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and is operated by the Rockcliffe Flying Club.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Jackie Perez and Tyler Fleming