An elderly couple requiring hospital care after being injured during by a plane crash at the Salmon Arm Airport.
At approximately 9 a.m. on Tuesday, BC Emergency Health Services, along with the Salmon Arm Fire Department and Salmon Arm Road Rescue, responded to the crash at the airport where a Cessna Mariner airplane came to rest at the north end of the runway.
Plane crash at salmon arm airport, north end of runway, no report on injuries. Reporter on scene
— Salmon Arm Observer (@SalmonArm) August 27, 2019
Police report the couple, a 71-year-old man and his 73-year-old spouse, both from Alberta, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
One was reported to be in stable condition when transported to hospital by ambulance. The other occupant, said to have more serious injuries, was transported by air ambulance to hospital in Kelowna.
Salmon Arm RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West said police are investigating the crash.
Keith Watson, manager at the Salmon Arm Airport, said a mechanical malfunction was at fault behind the crash.
“The aircraft was inbound for Salmon Arm and, on final approach, it had a mechanical malfunction and sequentially suffered a hard landing,” said Watson.
Watson said that although the two occupants of the private plane are not local to Salmon Arm, they have been to the airport before.
Although there will be no investigation from the Transportation Safety Board, Watson said the board may be speaking with the pilot in command once he is cleared from hospital.
@CameronJHT
Cameron.thomson@saobserver.net
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