A man and a woman were taken to hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, but the status of another individual was not immediately clear after a small plane crashed near the Ottawa International Airport late Thursday afternoon.
An Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson said emergency responders were called to the area near Riverside Drive and Hunt Club Road at about 5:55 p.m.
The Ottawa Police Service said road closures were in effect, in the area, and the public was asked to avoid the area.
Alexander Rabinovitch, 17, and his friend were on the other side of the airport, watching planes go by and using Live ATC — an app that tuned into air traffic control towers — when staff began discussing a possible emergency.
“I immediately got the sense that something’s not right here,” he said.
Rabinovitch said staff were concerned that the plane would not be able to land due to possible engine failure.
He said the plane attempted to land on the runway closest to Riverside Drive, but missed it and headed into a nearby tree line.
“It couldn’t make it and it crashed,” Rabinovitch said. “Air traffic control said … The plane made it short, almost made it but couldn’t finish.”
Rabinovitch also saw fire trucks race to the crash site, where they continued to surround the area well into the evening.
A group of spectators that heard about the crash gathered around a nearby parking lot.
The Ottawa International Airport said regular flight operations had not been affected.
Bambu, an Asian fusion restaurant located near the scene, reported a two-hour power outage after the crash occurred. A staff member confirmed that other businesses in the area experienced the outage as well.
With files from Sadeen Mohsen
