1 death after a collision between two small aircraft in the Ottawa region

One person died after an in-flight collision involving two small aircraft on Sunday morning in the rural community of Carp, Ottawa.

Police said that one of the planes crashed near McGee Side Road. The second plane, carrying two people, was redirected to the Ottawa International Airport, where it landed safely.

The occupant of the aircraft that crashed, a Cessna 150, died at the scene of serious injuries, paramedics said. The people on board the second plane were not injured.

The pilot of the second aircraft, a 11-seat, twin-engine Cheyenne Piper, reported to air traffic control that the first aircraft had struck the ground of his aircraft and had affected his right landing gear.

The incident occurred around 10 o'clock.

Current TSB investigation

Police closed a stretch of McGee Side Road between the exit ramp of Highway 417 and the westbound William Mooney Road. Police are asking commuters to avoid the area.

"The scene has been secured," said the inspector of the Ottawa Police Service. Rob Bernier. "[The TSB] will take charge of the investigation. "

Ottawa paramedics, firefighters and police attended the scene. Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) also arrived at the scene of the accident Sunday afternoon.

"It's very rare to have a collision in flight, but it does happen," Chief Investigator Beverley Harvey told reporters.

Harvey said the TSB would take pictures of the wreckage and bring the plane to his lab in Ottawa for further testing.

The experts will examine "the teeth and fingers" of the two planes to understand how the accident occurred, Harvey said.

"We look at the environment, the weather, to see if there are weather problems, we look at all the regulatory offenses, we look at everything," she said.

Harvey said the commission would make a statement if the investigators immediately noticed public safety issues.

Possible factors

Larry Vance, a former TSB investigator, told CBC News that when an in-flight collision occurs, it would likely happen near an airport like Carp's, which does not have air traffic control.

Vance also said that a "high-wing" aircraft like a Cessna 150 restricts the pilot's ability to see directly above, while a "low-wing" aircraft such as a Piper Cheyenne prevents his driver from seeing what is happening under him.

He hypothesized that the position of the wing of the two aircraft could have contributed to the accident.

"These planes were operating in an environment where it's basically" see-and-see, "Vance said.

"They are supposed to report, they are supposed to know that there are other planes in the area, but nothing justifies the technology to prevent these planes from hitting together."

Vance said that without air traffic control, pilots are expected to use to radio "their positions and intentions" to each other.

Watch a former TSB investigator discuss Sunday's collision:

2nd crash of recent weeks

Sunday's accident was the second in the region in the last three weeks. On October 16, a pilot crashed into his small aircraft near the corner of Howie and Old Almonte Roads and was seriously injured in the head.

Mackenzie Bice, who lives near the place where the plane crashed, said she had returned from the church on Sunday to see emergency vehicles. lined up in his street.

"I was a little worried and [called neighbours] to see who else knew about it, "said Bice.

"It's a little scary, because I do not really know what happened."

Carp is located about 30 kilometers west of downtown Ottawa.

With files of Krystalle Ramlakhan and Kim Valliere