A single engine aircraft crashed into a residential neighbourhood Sunday night, according to Comox Valley RCMP.
The small, home-built plane lost a wing while in flight, causing it to crash about 5:00 p.m. in the town of Courtenay, B.C., on Vancouver Island.
The pilot, Don Souter, died instantly. He had more than 20 years flying experience.
Several witnesses saw debris falling off the plane as it spiraled toward the ground.
"We looked up and saw what appeared to be a plane without a wing," witness Jason Draper said Saturday. "The plane was corkscrewing out of control with a rumbling engine, sounded like a sputtering."
It crashed just 20 feet from a home. No one else was onboard, and no local residents were injured.
RCMP Forensic Identification and the Transport Safety Board investigated the scene, with help from the RCMP detachments in Campbell River and Parksville.
The Jodel-model plane is popular in Europe. Souter had not built the plane himself.
Souter stored his plane at the Delta Heritage Air Park. Club members described Souter as a good pilot who was well-liked at the club.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Gelareh Darabi
