WHITEHORSE – Transportation Safety Board investigators are on their way to the scene of a deadly plane crash in Yukon.

Spokesman Jon Lee says a single-engine Cessna 170 crashed into trees moments after take off from the Whitehorse airport on Monday, killing the pilot and lone passenger.

The crash, barely 600 metres from the end of the runway and just west of several busy baseball diamonds, also sparked a fire.

Airport and city firefighters doused the flames with assistance from a helicopter dropping water from a bucket.

The privately registered aircraft had been on its way to Anchorage, Alaska, but the names or hometowns of the victims have not been released.

Lee says a TSB team should be at the scene by midday to begin what he calls the “long process” of gathering information that could assist the investigation.

“Collecting information on the pilot, the aircraft, the maintenance history, collecting weather information. If there was any closed circuit TV imagery at the airport we will try to get that,” Lee says.

He says the Edmonton-based team will also seek statements from any eye witnesses. (CKRW)