Sunday, December 15, 2013 12:00:59 MST AM
Parts of a light plane are seen near a house north of Lloydminster Saturday. The pilot was killed when the plane crashed on a field and skidded up to the house.
(News Canada) A plane crash just north of Lloydminster has left one man dead and a farmhouse damaged.
The crash happened just after noon near Range Road 11, north of Lloydminster.
Freelance photographer Don Whiting arrived on the scene, about two miles north of town, shortly after police and emergency crews and described what he saw.
"It was a plane crash in a field, it skidded across a shelter-belt and skidded across a yard up against a house, a rural acreage house," said Whiting. "Apparently there was a bit of a fire because you can see some burn damage and some melted siding."
Sgt. Jamie Hubbert, spokesman for the Kitscoty RCMP said that around 1 p.m. the police responded to the scene, which is about 2 km east of the Lloydminster Airport.
The plane -- a small, single-engine, four-seater aircraft -- hit the ground and skidded about 150 metres before making contact with the house.
The pilot, who was found dead at the scene, was the only one in the aircraft.
Hubbert said the man was in his early 60s and was from Calgary.
The only person inside the house was uninjured.
Transport Canada is sending investigators, but early reports say poor weather conditions may have played a role in the crash.
The pilot, whose identity is not being released, is set to undergo an autopsy in Edmonton, which will take weeks, Mounties say.
Lloydminster is 250 km east of Edmonton.