Student pilot struck runway lights in crash at Kelowna airport: Transport Canada

A student pilot who crash landed short of the runway at Kelowna International Airport in November was lucky to sustain only minor injuries.

Further details of the incident, which took place around 5 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2020, were released in a Transport Canada civil aviation report on Jan. 8.

A Canadian Institute of Aviation Technology Inc. Cessna 172 M was conducting flight training at the Kelowna airport with a lone student pilot on board.

As the aircraft made its final approach for runway 34, the plane struck elevated runway approach lights and then hit a grassy area short of the runway.

The Cessna came to a stop on soft grass almost 300 metres from the runway threshold line with the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft substantially damaged.

The airport’s crash alarm was pulled over the incident and emergency response attended the scene.

The student pilot was able to get out of the damaged aircraft, suffering minor injuries in the incident.

The incident resulted in some operational delays at the airport.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to tips@infonews.ca and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.