Single engine plane Crash in Pickering kills three people

Durham Regional Police are confirming three dead following the crash of a small airplane into a field in rural north Pickering earlier tonight.

On Thursday November 18, 2010, at approximately 7 p.m. DRPS was notified of a potential aviation accident involving a single-engine Beech 33 aircraft in north Pickering. The DRPS helicopter, Air1, was deployed to search for the aircraft and located the wreckage in a field south of the 407 Highway and west of Sideline 24 in north Pickering.

Police, Fire and EMS personnel arrived to scene and located three deceased persons at the wreckage site. The identities of the deceased are still being confirmed and next of kin will be notified by investigators.

Transport Canada has been contacted and will be investigating. Officers from West Division along with members of the DRPS Forensic Unit have cordoned off the crash site and are investigating.

UPDATE:  2.41 pm EST

Transportation Safety Board officials remain at the scene today and are continuing with their investigation into the cause of the single-engine airplane crash that occurred in North Pickering last night.

All three occupants of the aircraft have been identified and their respective next-of-kin have been notified. At the request of all family members involved, the identities of all three deceased persons are being withheld.

The flight instructor, a 26-year-old male from Toronto and two students, a 20-year-old male from Brampton and a 20-year-old female from Toronto were pronounced deceased at scene.

The wreckage remains at scene and police investigators are maintaining a perimeter. DRPS Forensic Identification officers are assisting with Transportation Safety Board officials in their investigation.