Thursday, October 25, 2012

One man is dead after plane crash near Puslinch Lake

 http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/bizjets101/CanCessnafloat1.jpg
C-GBLG Cessna 172N Skyhawk II based Waterloo ON


The man who died after a small float plane crashed on the edge of Puslinch Lake has been identified as 47-year-old Russell Hawkins of Guelph.  

 OPP say Hawkins was killed after the plane he was in crashed into heavy bush on the southeast corner of Puslinch Lake on Thursday afternoon.

A second male in the plane was transported to Cambridge Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The plane, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, sustained major damage to the nose and floats after apparently landing upside down.

Witness say the plane was doing repeated take-off and landing exercises along with a second plane when something went wrong.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating and says it is currently waiting to talk to the crash survivor.

The wreckage is expected to be removed from the site by the end of Friday.


Read more, video and photos: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca



PUSLINCH — Police have confirmed a small plane crash Thursday afternoon resulted in one fatality. 

 Rescue crews scrambled to reach a small plane that crashed at the southeast corner of Puslinch Lake, east of the Cambridge city limits.

OPP Inspector Scott Lawson, Wellington County detachment commander, said there were two men aboard the plane.

One was taken to Cambridge Memorial Hospital by land ambulance, the other died at the scene. The coroner arrived on scene later Thursday evening.

There were no details offered on the extent of the injuries of the man sent to hospital. Cambridge Fire Department Platoon Chief Dave Mawdsley said an air ambulance had been dispatched, but was then called off. His people were not called upon to help get the occupants out of the aircraft.

No information was made available on the age, names or place of residence of the two occupants.

Cambridge firefighters, paramedics and Ontario Provincial Police were alerted by witnesses at 2:29 p.m. They used a driveway at 6620 Concession 1 to access the wreckage.

Eyewitnesses say two float planes had been practising landings and takeoffs when one crashed into the woods near a home.

Ken Elligson, an area resident, was at the Old Marina Restaurant watching the planes. The red and white float plane had completed about three takeoffs when it quickly taxied across the lake, he said.

But the pilot seemed to be getting out the water late and “had just enough altitude to get over the trees.”

“It looked like he was trying to take off, but it was just too low,” said witness Matt Davey who lives at the end of Eagle Lane. “I heard it hit the top of the trees. I was just at the front of my house. I saw him coming toward me.”

When asked if the pilot seemed to be trying to avoid a large house under construction about 100 metres from the shore, Elligson said “That’s really the way it looked.”

The plane banked, “flipped over” and disappeared into the trees, he said.

Elligson jumped on his motorcycle and raced to the scene where he ran into others who heard the crash. They waited for emergency workers to arrive.

Mawdsley said five trucks were scrambled to join paramedics and OPP. Puslinch Fire Department was expected to take over Thursday evening.

Mawdsley said it was fortunate to have clear directions to the site and he noted emergency workers were able to get to the scene quickly. There was no fire, but crews are working to ensure no fuel reached the lake.

A nearby home was not damaged, but power was out. Lawson said power lines on or near the wreckage had posed a hazard to emergency workers.

It is uncertain how many homes are affected by the power outage or how long it will last.

Police officers were conducting a number of interviews with witnesses Thursday afternoon. Lawson also noted Transportation Safety Board investigators had arrived to conduct their work.

“They will give us direction on what we need to do,” he said. “They’re the experts … We want to rely on their good judgment.”



http://www.therecord.com


CAMBRIDGE, Ont. - A float plane crash near Puslinch Lake east of Cambridge, Ont., has left one man dead an another in hospital. 

 Waterloo paramedic spokesman John Prno says two people were in the aircraft when it crashed and one was transported to hospital, but his condition isn't known.

Provincial police confirm that the other occupant of the plane has died.

Insp. Scott Lawson says the Transportation Safety Board is on scene conducting their investigation.

A witness said he was watching float planes practicing takeoffs and landings on Thursday afternoon when he saw the crash.

The witness says the plane had trouble with a takeoff, lost altitude and went down in the yard of a cottage.


http://www.globaltoronto.com

PUSLINCH — Rescue crews are hiking through trees to reach a small plane that’s crashed at the southeast corner of Puslinch Lake, east of the Cambridge city limits.

Two people are injured, said John Prno, manger of Waterloo Region emergency medical services.
Cambridge firefighters, paramedics and Ontario Provincial Police were alerted by witnesses at 2:29 p.m. They used a driveway at 6620 Concession 1 access to the wreckage.

“It’s really awkward to get to. You have to go in a path then take a horse trail to get to the little plane,” Prno said.

Watch therecord.com for updates. We have a photographer and reporters heading to the scene.

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