One person killed in crash of small plane at Sechelt airport Article content One man is dead after a small plane crashed during takeoff at the end of the runway at Sechelt-Gibsons Airport on Thursday afternoon. Sechelt RCMP spokeswoman Const. Karen Whitby said the single-engine plane crashed at about 2:50 p.m. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or One person killed in crash of small plane at Sechelt airport Back to video A family of four was aboard, including the pilot. They were heading out for a sightseeing trip, Whitby said. “It lost power as it was taking off,” she said. The plane crashed into a nearby ravine. The pilot has died, Whitby said. Assistant fire Chief Dwight Davison says the single-engine Piper Cherokee 140 came down one to two kilometres north of the airport’s runway. The three passengers were able to get out of the crashed plane and made their way to a local hospital before emergency crews even arrived at the crash site. The Sechelt Fire Department and Sechelt RCMP responded to the call. The Transportation Safety Board is aware of the situation, a spokesman confirmed. “We are still assessing the situation,” Alexandre Fournier said. — With files from Randy Shore and The Canadian Press pjohnston@postmedia.com twitter.com/risingaction<doc-sep>A family's aerial sightseeing trip ended in tragedy Thursday afternoon when their small plane crashed, killing the pilot. Four members of a family were on-board the plane Thursday afternoon when it went down near Sechelt, about 60 km north of Vancouver on B.C. 's Sunshine Coast, according to an RCMP spokesperson. Const. Karen Whitby said the family planned to check out local scenery, but the aircraft lost power shortly after takeoff and crashed in a ravine. The pilot, an adult male, was killed. The surviving passengers were described as an adult male, a teenaged girl and a boy about four years old. "There were actually family members at the airport that saw it happen," Whitby said. Whitby said the survivors were able to free themselves, walk to a nearby home and call 911. Emergency personnel rushed to the scene around 2:50 p.m. PT. A Google Streetview image shows the Sechelt-Gibsons Airport which the plane had just left before it went down Thursday afternoon. (Google Streetview) Recovery mission Sechelt Fire Department Assistant Chief Dwight Davison said his crews were waiting for RCMP approval before removing the deceased pilot from the wreckage. "We have gone from a rescue mode now to a recovery mode," Davison said. RCMP said in a tweet the crash occurred near Selma Park, which the District of Sechelt describes as a residential area near the waterfront. Davison says the plane, a single-engine Piper Cherokee 140, took off from Sechelt-Gibsons Airport. The plane was privately owned, he said. It crashed in a heavily wooded area, he reported, 1½ kilometres north of the airport. Hazardous scene Davison said the passengers were taken to hospital. RCMP said in a statement their injuries are minor. He said 15 firefighters are at the crash scene, along with personnel from Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue, B.C. Ambulance and Sunshine Coast RCMP. Responders had to deal with leaking fluids from the plane and contend with its unstable landing position, Davison said, adding there was never any fire related to the crash. Whitby said the pilot's next of kin have been notified as has the federal Transportation Safety Board. Read more from CBC British Columbia<doc-sep>
Send this page to someone via email One person was killed and three others were injured when a small plane crashed after taking off from the Sechelt-Gibsons Airport Thursday afternoon. Assistant fire Chief Dwight Davison with the Sechelt Fire Department said the single-engine Cherokee Piper 140 took off just before 3 p.m., and went down about 1.5 kilometres west of the airport. Davison said three people were able to get out of the plane on their own, and made it to hospital, however their condition remains unknown. The fourth victim died of their injuries and remained in the aircraft as of Thursday evening, he said. Unfolding Event! Small plane has crashed near Selma Park. EHS, Fire, RCMP on scene. Awaiting further information from scene. Public are asked to stay away from the area. — Sunshine Coast RCMP (@COAST_RCMP) July 5, 2018 According to the RCMP, the four people were a family taking a sight-seeing trip, and the pilot did not survive. Firefighters and the RCMP are working to recover the body, Davison said, but are attempting a difficult technical recovery. Story continues below advertisement The location of the wreck, the angle of the plane, steep terrain and unstable ground are all adding to the challenge, he said. Four ambulances and a helicopter were called to the scene of the crash. The Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the crash, and will assist with the investigation, the RCMP said. We will have more information on this developing story when it becomes available. ~ With files from Ted Field