Small plane crash in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Engine failure is being blamed for a small Cessna plane crash at Niagara District Airport in Niagara-On-the-Lake yesterday.

The aircraft was from Kingston, Ontario. The pilot issued a distress call as a result of the engine failure and was forced to fly at a lower altitude because of limited power.

The plane landed nose-first, about 300 feet short of the runway in a nearby field.

Commision Chair Terry Flynn says the soft ground absorbed most of the impact and the plane was not badly damaged.

Flynn says a crane was needed to remove the plane from the nearby field.

There were no serious injuries, but passengers were taken to a local hospital.

The National Transportaton Safety Board is now investigation what caused the aircraft’s engine to fail.