Deadly plane crash in Stoney Creek

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A man is dead after his amateur plane crashed in a soybean field next to Stoney Creek airport. Officials tell us the plane had just taken off for St. Thomas Ontario, when it crashed and was engulfed in flames.

A surveillance camera from a neighbouring business caught an image of the plane going down and if look carefully behind the time stamp and you can see it descend rapidly, and explode.

“It certainly was a devastating impact. The aircraft took off from the runway in a north direction and shortly after turned en route to its destination and was observed to impact the ground and catch fire.” Ken Webster, from the Transportation safety board.

Investigators from the transportation safety board are examining what’s left, the engine, the wingtips and the tail. The plane appears to explode after impact, so the fire likely came from the fuel tanks located in the wings.

“You’ll have fuel spraying out and when it hits hot engines and hot exhaust, then you have ignition, and that’s normally what causes the fire in these small airplanes.” said Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum President Dave Rohrer.

Rohrer used to be the lead plane crash investigator in the region. He says the greatest danger of a flight is at take-off, and landing.

“You’re at low altitude and you have less time to react to the abnormality.”

This was an amateur aircraft.

“Amateur built is different regulations, more lax. So more recreational users can fly and maintain the aircraft.” said Webster.

“A lot of people get their start in aviation in this type of airport, with these type of aircraft. Those are primarily home builders, who build their own airplanes or buy kits and put them together, or fly ultralights.” said Rohrer.

Less than 2 weeks ago a small plane crashed just outside of the Grimsby airport.  That pilot survived.

The Hamilton chapter of the experimental aircraft association calls this airport home.  They put a message out on social media today that the pilot involved was not one of their members, but they did not identify him.  Neither police or the transportation safety board are saying who exactly died in this crash, but it was a man flying alone in the plane, headed for St. Thomas.