Fatal Occurrence 2009P0756
Man dead in small plane crash near Chetwynd
The pilot died at the scene, but the passenger, a 56-year-old man also from Kelowna, survived. He has since been released from hospital.
According to a preliminary investigation by the RCMP, the two-seater GiaStar plane refueled in Dawson Creek some 40 minutes prior to crashing at around 2:15 p.m. on Friday.
The men, who were co-owners of the plane, were flying from the Northwest Territories back to the B.C. Interior when they experienced propeller trouble. They had flown past Chetwynd but decided to land at the airport. When that failed, they considered an emergency landing on Hwy. 29 South.
The plane then crashed on the west side of Hwy. 29 South, near Curtis Road, about 10 kilometres south of Chetwynd. It flew over a house and garage, and crashed into a grove of tall poplar trees, said the RCMP.
After crashing, the plane's passenger called for help and walked out of the bush to meet police on the highway. He was taken to Chetwynd District Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries.
