2 dead after small plane crashes in Whitehorse

Two people are dead following a plane crash in Whitehorse Monday evening, an official with the Transportation Safety Board confirmed.

TSB spokesperson Jon Lee said the plane was a Cessna 170 taking off from Whitehorse bound for Anchorage, Alaska.

A second TSB spokesperson, Chris Krepski, said the plane was privately-owned and both occupants in the four-seat aircraft died in the crash. He said the plane hit the ground 600 metres from the runway and caught fire.

Krepski said the crash was reported at 5:30 p.m. local time.

Lee said the TSB is putting together an investigation team from Edmonton to send to Whitehorse.

“Once we get to the accident site and we’re going to take our photos and start to examine the wreckage and collect information from the scene,” Lee said.

“The next few days will be predominantly collecting information.”

Jessica Harach, an attendant at the nearby Robert Service Campground, said she’s used to the sounds of planes taking off and landing at the airport. She said she heard the engine suddenly cut out, but didn’t think twice about it until she heard sirens go by.

“You just never think that that’s going to happen,” she said.