Oscar Burnside, 64, of Owen Sound, is the pilot missing over Georgian Bay after his single engine Cessna apparently crashed north of Wasaga Beach on Thursday Nov. 7 2013. |
OWEN SOUND - A farewell gathering for friends and family of the missing Owen Sound pilot who is presumed to have died in a plane crash over Georgian Bay last month will take place Sunday at Stone Tree Golf and Fitness Club.
Oscar Burnside was well known in various circles, including as a teacher, principal, realtor and businessman. Between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, his family invites anyone who knew him to come, listen to brief remarks at 2:30 p.m. and to share stories about him.
Burnside, 64, was flying in his single-engine Cessna plane back from Stowe, Vermont, Nov. 7. He'd stopped at Cornwall airport, then made his way back to Owen Sound about 5 p.m.
When he didn't arrive at Owen Sound airport, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre out of Trenton was notified and a search of the bay began almost immediately. His last cellphone signal placed him in the Midland area.
Pieces of airplane consistent with his plane and bits of clothing began washing up on shore north of Wasaga Beach late the next day.
He has been with his wife, Lynne Parsons, for 30 years. There are no children.
Police efforts to find the plane and Burnside's body have been unsuccessful. Bad weather limited opportunities to search by boat and helicopter. Two weeks ago police announced with winter closing in, the search by water and air was suspended.
Sharon Burnside, of Oliphant, said Tuesday her brother-in-law made that flight from Vermont often. A better understanding of how the crash could have happened will have to wait until police find the plane and Burnside's body, she said. “There are so many things that could have happened, as I say, we may never know.”
Transportation Safety Board investigator Peter Machet said until the plane and body are found, he has little to explain the crash. There might not be much of an aircraft left to examine, he added.
Burnside's last contact with air traffic control was a request to reduce altitude. “But there was no urgency in the call. There was no distress. It was just a normal voice conversation,” Machet said. “And there was no further contact with him, there was no emergency calls from him. There was no indications there was any issues going on with him in the flight.”
Once police have a body, it will be up to a coroner to decide whether the case is closed, Machet said.
Sharon Burnside said Oscar's circle of friends was large but she couldn't guess how many would come to the farewell gathering.
Burnside had been principal of St. Vincent-Euphrasia school and Osprey Central and vice-principal at Georgian Bay Secondary School. He taught at OSCVI, John Diefenbaker Secondary School and at Sydenham school. In retirement, he also taught part-time at Georgian College.
In the late 1970s and early '80s, he owned Burnside Home Furnishings in Markdale and ran a business installing in-ground pools. Also, he was a partner in Choice Realty Solutions Inc.
Source: http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com
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