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Pilot praised after small plane crashes, burns in B.C.鈥檚 Lower Mainland

Pilot OK after witnesses spot plane flying low over Surrey鈥檚 Crescent Beach, spouting black smoke

A pilot is reportedly OK after the small plane he was piloting crashed in Crescent Beach Monday afternoon.

Witnesses reported seeing the small plane, with apparent engine problems and trailing smoke, flying low over Crescent Beach before crashing.

Surrey RCMP and Surrey Fire Rescue Service both confirmed they responded to a report of a small plane crash near Blackie Spit in the 3100-block of McBride Avenue around 2:30 p.m.

鈥淒ue to the location, it was challenging to get to the plane and pilot,鈥 Surrey Fire Rescue Service assistant chief of operations Rich Bodnark said.

Because the area is heavily forested and contains marshland, crews 鈥 five apparatus and 12 firefighters 鈥 had to stretch extra-long lengths of fire hose to put out the flames caused by the crash.

鈥淭he pilot was able to get himself out. My compliments to him鈥 I鈥檓 sure he was trying to land in an area that had the least amount of population.鈥

Fire crews suppressed the fire and attended to the pilot, who suffered burn injuries to his hands and face, Bodnark said.

鈥淭he preliminary investigation indicates there was only one person on board, the pilot,鈥 RCMP said in a release.

鈥淭he pilot has sustained minor injuries and has been transported to hospital. There was no other damage or injuries reported as a result of this incident.鈥

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said in a release it is deploying a team of investigators to investigate the accident, which involved a privately registered Cessna C185 aircraft, to gather information and assess the occurrence.

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A pilot sustained only minor injuries after crashing in South Surrey on Monday, Oct.30, 2023. (Curtis Kreklau/South Fraser News Services photo)
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The wreckage of a small plane that crashed at Crescent Beach on Monday afternoon, Oct. 30 is visible through the trees. Police say the pilot was taken to hospital but was not seriously injured. (Sobia Moman photo)
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A pilot sustained only minor injuries after crashing in South Surrey on Monday, Oct.30, 2023. (Sobia Moman photo)
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A pilot sustained only minor injuries after crashing in South Surrey on Monday, Oct.30, 2023. (Curtis Kreklau/South Fraser News Services photo)


Tricia Weel

About the Author: Tricia Weel

I鈥檓 a lifelong writer and storyteller, and have worked at community newspapers and magazines throughout the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
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