Updated Monday 3:23 p.m.: Pilot treated at hospital after single-propeller aircraft crashes during take off

The Transportation Safety Board, assisted by the RCMP, has been collecting data from an airplane crash over the weekend at Finlay Air Park in Pleasant Valley, Yarmouth County.

The Saturday, Nov. 1, incident, which occurred during take off, involved a single-propeller airplane operated by a 76-year-old pilot. The pilot, whose name was not released by the RCMP, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. “We are not doing a full investigation, we would be collecting data for the purpose of recording it in our database,” said Doug McEwen with the Transportation Safety Board. “I spoke to the owner and the aircraft maintainer and the RCMP on the weekend, and we still have to speak directly with the pilot which we will do this week. And we will follow up with all of the individuals relative to what their findings were there.”

McEwen said Monday afternoon there was no indication that this was a mechanical-related issue. “Some of the witnesses indicated that there was wind gusts in the area at the time and that’s a very small aircraft and quite susceptible to a wind gust on take off because the speed is relatively slow,” he said. “Based on the description we have, the aircraft impacted the ground with the left wing low, so it damaged the right hand wing and certainly the left hand wing but the overall damage I’m not sure of,” he added.

In a media release, the RCMP said the airplane sustained extensive damage.