Student pilots killed in mid-air collision

RM OF HANOVER — Two student pilots are dead after their single-engine planes collided in the sky above southeastern Manitoba.

Steinbach RCMP was alerted at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday about a collision involving two aircraft — a Cessna 152 and Cessna 172 — in the Rural Municipality of Hanover.

Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical services located the wreckage of two small aircraft south of Steinbach, Cpl. Melanie Roussel told reporters later in the day.

“The two pilots were pronounced deceased on scene. There were no passengers aboard,” Roussel said during a news conference at RCMP headquarters in Winnipeg.

She indicated it was too early to say whether any charges would be laid.

The students, a man and woman, were separately practising takeoffs and landing circuits, said Harv’s Air president, Adam Penner.

“It happened when they were on the approach to land. We don’t know exactly how they hit each other yet,” he said.

The flight school has been closed temporarily “to take care of our people,” he said, noting grief counsellors were called in.

The woman who was killed was working toward her private pilot licence, while the man, who had his private licence, wanted to fly commercial planes, Penner said.

Only one family had been notified at the time of the interview, Penner said, declining to reveal further information. It was proving more challenging to contact next of kin of the other student, who was an international student, he said.

“It’s been really tough,” he said. “We’re not that big of a company. We know all the students and we know all the staff, of course, so it’s personal.”

The family-owned and -operated company, which was founded in 1973 by Penner’s father, Harv Penner, had 42 planes prior to Tuesday.

The owners will co-operate with a federal investigation that could take up to a year to complete, Adam Penner said.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada arrived at the scene to investigate Tuesday.

Canada’s database of air transportation safety investigations show there have been 18 mid-air collisions since 1996. Tuesday’s incident appears to be the first in Manitoba.

“Everyone is just in shock, no one has words,” said Mohamed Shahin, a flight school instructor who knew the students.

Shahin wouldn’t provide details about the crash, but said he spent the morning fielding calls from Harv’s staff, students and family.

“We’re all a big family here; all the instructors, they were all once students before, and we all know each other on a very personal level. We all know each other, and we feel really sad,” he told reporters near the crash site.

An 18-year-old student was practising takeoffs and landings at the time of the crash.

“I saw a couple of white pieces, and I thought that was a little odd. I was also like 30 seconds from landing, and that’s pretty intense,” said the student, who didn’t want his name used.

He said as he approached the landing strip, he saw fire and smoke.

“I kind of just assumed it was a garbage fire or something. I still didn’t even fully comprehend it until after I landed,” he said.

Motorists drove up and down Provincial Road 33N Tuesday afternoon, with many slowing down to try to get a look at the crash scene. The road divides the site of Harv’s Air and a private farm where the crash took place.

The Winnipeg Free Press learned the crash happened on private property south of the Steinbach South Airport, west of Highway 12.

Property records from the RM of Hanover show the land belongs to Sunrise Cattle Co. It consists of farmland, cattle and barns.

Reporters tried to get to the scene, where RCMP officers were stationed, but were asked to leave. No debris could be seen from the road.

Lucille Plett, who lives next to the property, was having coffee with her husband, Nathaniel, Tuesday morning when they heard a loud bang.

“We just heard a big noise, engines revving and then a crash,” she said.

Plett didn’t see the planes crash but, soon after the noises, saw a black smoke plume in the distance.

“Then we knew something bad had happened,” she said.

In the five years she has lived on the property, Plett has never heard anything like it.

“Planes come and go all the time. There’s lots of training that happens, but nothing like this,” she said.

Hanover fire Chief Paul Wiebe said firefighters were called to the scene, but he had few details.

“I’m aching for everyone directly involved with it. I wish them all the best. I’m praying for them. I wish we could do more,” said Bardia Salimkhani, president of the Steinbach Flying Club.

Pilots across the province will be affected by the tragedy, regardless of where they take off and land, said Salimkhani, a career pilot. He and fellow members of the club are based out of the Steinbach North Airport.

Both of the aircraft involved in the collision had transmitters to communicate with trainers on the ground, Penner said.

The planes, valued at roughly $200,000 each, are unrepairable, he said.

“The people are priceless — the airplane is nothing (in comparison),” he said. “We’re praying for the families, that’s for sure.”

» Winnipeg Free Press, with files from the Steinbach Carillon