SAINT-GEORGES — A pilot was killed Wednesday when his aircraft crashed after taking part in a Remembrance Day ceremony south of Quebec City. The victim was identified as Daniel Parent, a member of the Club Aéronautique de Beauce flying club. Quebec provincial police said Parent, a man in his 60s from the region, was alone in the plane when it went down around 11 a.m. He was declared dead at the scene in a wooded area near the Saint-Georges airport.
Mayor Manon Bougie said a formation of six planes was performing a Missing Man formation during the ceremony when one crashed. The city lowered flags to half-mast at city hall and the airport. Bougie offered her condolences, describing the event as a deeply sad and tragic moment. Provincial police spokesperson Sgt. Audrey-Anne Bilodeau confirmed the pilot had been flying with several other aircraft at the time.
What sequence of events led to the crash?
The plane was on approach to land at the Saint-Georges airport when it crashed and caught fire. Emergency crews responded within six minutes but found the aircraft fully engulfed in flames. Fire Chief Frédéric Morin said they were unable to save the pilot. A resident living near the crash site, Michel Rodrigue, said he heard a loud metallic sound before seeing flames in the woods behind his house.
Rodrigue initially thought his cat had knocked over a flower cabinet upstairs. He grabbed fire extinguishers but realized they would be insufficient for the size of the blaze. The plane came down in a wooded area across from his neighbour's property, roughly 100 feet from his home. Police said the aircraft involved were all private planes flown by civilian pilots.
Which agencies are involved in the investigation?
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has deployed investigators to the site to gather information and assess the cause. The exact circumstances behind the crash are not yet known. The SQ's major crime unit is also examining the scene for any possible criminal elements, though such crashes are rarely linked to crime. The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed the aircraft was not military and no CAF personnel were involved.
In a statement, the CAF extended its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the pilot. Saint-Georges is located approximately 100 kilometres southeast of Quebec City. The SQ initially reported the pilot was seriously injured before confirming his death shortly before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
How have political leaders responded?
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon offered his condolences and said he was working with the province's domestic security minister to gather more information. He posted on X that he was closely monitoring the situation and was in touch with Domestic Security Minister Guy Lapointe Jr. Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon wrote on Facebook that he was saddened by the pilot's passing. National Defence Minister David McGuinty issued a statement expressing his condolences to the pilot's family. Several other provincial and federal politicians shared their sympathies following the incident. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing as authorities work to determine what caused the plane to go down.