SUBMITTED

Two occupants of a small plane were unhurt after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in the water of Head Pond near the Arnprior Airport.

Officers from the Renfrew Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), who were nearby, responded to the scene just after 5:00 p.m. on May 23, 2024. They were joined by members of the Lanark County Detachment.

When they arrived, officers could see the float plane, upside down in the river, and quickly learned that the two occupants made it out safely, were picked up by individuals in a boat and were unhurt.

Officers learned that the pilot had been planning to land at the airport, but experienced engine failure. The pilot then attempted a water landing, but the aircraft capsized, believed to be due to the fact the landing gear had previously been activated.

Members of the Arnprior Fire Department secured the plane to ensure it didn’t drift into the nearby dam and the Ministry of the Environment was notified due to the potential of fuel leaking into the water.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating.