A small aircraft went down in a forested area close to Ottawa International Airport on Thursday, July 31, 2025. CTV
A small plane crashed in a wooded area near the Ottawa International Airport late Thursday afternoon. The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. near Riverside Drive and Hunt Club Road.
The aircraft, a Grumman AA-5A, was carrying three people. As the plane went down, it hit live hydro wires before getting stuck in a tree about 20 feet above the ground.
Rescue teams rush to the scene
Firefighters, paramedics, and police quickly arrived. Nick DeFazio from Ottawa Fire Services explained they had to wait for Hydro Ottawa to cut power to the live wires before they could start the rescue.
Once power was off, crews used a bucket ladder and special tools to rescue two people. One man and one woman were taken to the hospital in stable condition.
As of 8:30 p.m., firefighters were still working to free the third person who remained trapped inside the plane.
Eyewitness saw the plane go down
Tom Kazmirchuk, who was driving on Hunt Club Road, saw the plane moments before the crash.
“I saw this plane and it was very low, it was very fast, and it was really evident to me that it wasn’t going to make it,” he said.
Though he didn’t see the crash itself, he knew something was wrong based on how the plane was flying.
Roads closed, airport operations continue
Police closed Riverside Drive between Hunt Club and River roads to allow emergency teams to work safely. The road reopened around 9:30 p.m.
The Ottawa International Airport said the crash did not affect flight operations.
Fuel leak causes more concern
Fuel began leaking from the crashed plane, raising environmental concerns. Firefighters sprayed foam to contain the fuel and called in their hazardous materials team. Airport firefighters helped out.
Fire crews also placed booms in the nearby Rideau River to stop any fuel from reaching the water.
Investigation underway
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) sent a team to investigate the crash. Spokesperson Nic Defalco confirmed the plane was making a forced landing at the time of the accident.
Investigators will talk to witnesses and examine the wreckage to figure out what caused the crash.
As the evening went on, emergency teams continued working hard to rescue the last person and make the area safe.
