Student Pilots Killed in Mid-Air Plane Crash in Manitoba

Two student pilots tragically lost their lives after their small airplanes collided mid-air in the rural municipality of Hanover, Manitoba. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed the deaths of the male and female pilots at the scene on Tuesday. The crash site was located approximately an hour's drive south of Winnipeg.

The single-engine aircraft involved in the collision were carrying no passengers. The RCMP has transferred a significant portion of the investigation to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). The TSB, an independent federal agency, has dispatched a team to conduct its own probe, focusing on providing recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future.

Police officials have declined to release the identities or ages of the victims, and have not confirmed whether their families have been notified. An RCMP spokesperson stated that the investigation is ongoing and that details are limited. The spokesperson also noted that a mid-air collision is an unusual occurrence.

The fatal crash occurred around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday near the Steinbach (South) Airport in Hanover. The airport is operated by Harv’s Air Service, a Manitoba flight training school. The owner of Harv’s Air confirmed that the pilots were students at the school.

The female pilot was working towards obtaining her private pilot license, while the male pilot, who already held a private license, was training to fly commercial airplanes. The incident occurred during a training exercise involving takeoffs and landings. The pilots were attempting to land their planes, a Cessna 172 and a Cessna 152, simultaneously when the crash occurred near a landing strip. The owner of Harv's Air expressed his devastation and stated that he was awaiting notification of the families before providing further comment.

An instructor at the school, who knew the students, expressed his heartbreak over the incident. He described the school as a close-knit community and stated that everyone was in shock. Local residents reported hearing a loud bang, followed by smoke and further explosions, confirming their suspicions of a plane crash. They expressed their sorrow and offered prayers for the pilots and their families.