A pilot who had been missing since Friday has been found dead after search crews located his home-built aircraft submerged in a lake in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region.
Ontario Provincial Police said debris from the plane was recovered from Wolfe Lake in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park on Monday. The aircraft was found underwater the following day, and searchers confirmed the pilot had died.
Police said plans are underway to recover the aircraft from the lake.
The 73-year-old pilot, identified only as David, departed Oshawa Executive Airport at about 8:30 a.m. Friday and was expected to return an hour later. When he failed to arrive, his family reported him missing. He was last seen flying near the Balsam Lake area by Kirkfield.
The search involved the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the OPP, the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP detachment, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and other agencies.
Police extended their condolences to the pilot’s family and thanked the public for assisting with the search.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has deployed investigators to determine what caused the crash.
