Two men are dead after a Twin-engine Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C plane crashed at approximately 1:30 p.m. in Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary, Wednesday.
The twin-engine plane crashed at approximately 1:30 p.m. in the Rae Glacier area, RCMP said in a release.
RCMP established there were two people on board the plane, and Kananaskis Public Safety Officers recovered two bodies from the wreckage.
Chris Krepski, a spokesperson with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said the Piper PA31 had a pilot and survey technician onboard.
The plane was headed from Penticton to the Calgary Springbank Airport, and it collided with terrain about 64 kilometers southwest of that airport, Krepski said.
“We’re deploying investigators to the access site tomorrow, they’re expected to arrive late in the morning. We’ll be gathering information on the site there,” Krepski said.
He says it was a difficult recovery to complete given the conditions. “It’s very difficult terrain, it’s dangerous and it’s a glacier. That’s why the public safety officers are taking the lead on that with their specialized equipment and training.”
Authorities with the Royal Canadian Air Force say that a Hercules aircraft was deployed from Winnipeg to help in the search after a distress call was recieved in Trenton, Ontario.
The Transportation Safety Board is aware of the incident and has now taken over the investigation
He said there was no indication yet on the cause of the crash, but investigators will survey the aircraft and collect pieces of the wreckage for further examination.
Calida Lara of Aries Aviation Services Corp. confirmed the plane was owned by Aries.
She declined to provide any additional information about the plane’s route or occupants until the families could be notified.
Information about the occupants of the plane is being withheld and RCMP continue to hold the scene.
Police said they wouldn’t be providing any information about the plane’s occupants at this time.
