2 killed in crash of small amphibious plane near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island

NANAIMO, B.C. – Two people have been killed in a small plane crash near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

Transportation Safety Board spokesman Bill Yearwood says the plane, an “amateur built” Avid amphibious aircraft, crashed on takeoff from the Nanaimo Airport in Cassidy Saturday evening.

Cassidy is located about 20 kilometres southeast of Nanaimo.

Yearwood said the single-engine two-seater went down on the Cottonwood Golf Course, which is adjacent to the airport, and that the two people on board died of their injuries.

Some golfers were on the course at the time of the crash, but Yearwood said there are no reports of anyone else being injured.

Trent Kaese, the owner of Cottonwood Golf Course, said the plane crashed in a patch of grass in the 14th hole of the course.

“In the rough is where the accident happened, just before the fairway started,” said Kaese, who saw the wreckage, but did not witness the crash.

“Just basically the tail section was left of the plane”

Yearwood said Mounties are interviewing witnesses on the ground as they, along with the TSB and the BC coroner’s service, investigate the crash.

No details have been released at this point concerning the victims.

Weather conditions were sunny and clear at the time of the fatal accident.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had an incorrect location for Cassidy, B.C.