A student pilot on a solo flight that originated in Saint Hubert, Que., was forced to land a Cessna 150 aircraft when he lost altitude near Kingston around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday. The plane crash-landed on Froom Road near Cardinal, seriously injuring the pilot.
First responders arrived on scene quickly and transported the pilot to Ottawa Civic Hospital.
The OPP closed roads in both directions and only allowed local traffic to drive through while the investigation was being conducted.
“Suddenly there was a loud pop and from my vantage point I couldn’t see anything so I came outside and the next thing I know police and other emergency vehicles were arriving,” said Koren Manneck, who lives across from where the plane hit the ground.
Witnesses say the plane clipped a tree before it hit the ground.
The pilot is a student at the Air Richelieu Flight Academy. Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) told CKWS that the student pilot was on a cross-country flight assignment to gain experience and gain flying hours.
“He was under training and authorized for this solo flight,” says J.P. Regnier, an investigator with the TSB.
The aircraft is owned by Aeroclub in Montreal. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Investigators will be assessing the aircraft and altitude patterns of the plane when the incident occurred to find the cause.