A missing pilot was tragically discovered deceased after search teams located his small aircraft submerged in Wolfe Lake within the Kawartha Lakes area, as confirmed by the Ontario Provincial Police. The pilot, identified as David, 73 years old, was reported missing when he did not return to Oshawa Executive Airport as scheduled after departing in a homemade aircraft at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.
The aircraft wreckage was recovered by search crews on Monday, with the plane itself found underwater in the lake on Tuesday. The pilot’s family had reported him missing when he failed to return by 9:30 a.m. The last sighting of the pilot was near Balsam Lake close to Kirkfield.
The tragic discovery was made in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park, northwest of Peterborough, Ontario. The Ontario Provincial Police expressed their condolences to the family of the pilot and appreciated the public’s support during the search efforts. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, with a team deployed near Minden Hills, Ontario, to examine the incident involving the privately registered small plane.
Various agencies, including the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the OPP, and the Ministry of Natural Resources, collaborated in the search operation. The pilot, known for flying in the southern Kawartha Lakes and northern Lake Scugog areas, was described as an experienced aviator by Durham police.