A devastating plane crash near Kisbey, Saskatchewan has claimed two lives, intensifying scrutiny on a flight training operation that has now experienced three serious incidents in less than two years.
The Cessna 172, registered to Harv's Air flight school based in St. Andrews, Manitoba, went down early Friday morning during a night cross-country training flight from Regina to Steinbach, Manitoba. Both occupants—licensed pilots working toward their commercial certifications—were killed in the crash.
The aircraft was reported overdue at 10:30 a.m. CDT on September 18. Search and rescue operations, coordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, located the wreckage at approximately 6 p.m. CDT that same day. A CC-130 Hercules transport aircraft from 435 Squadron successfully pinpointed the crash site and inserted search and rescue technicians by parachute to recover the victims.
"The entire Harv's Air family is shocked and saddened by this tragedy. Both pilots had close ties to their fellow students and instructors. We extend our deepest condolences to family and friends," said Adam Penner, president of Harv's Air, in a statement.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), Transport Canada, and the RCMP have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash. No details about what led to the accident have been released at this time.
Pattern of Incidents Raises Questions
This tragedy marks the third significant incident involving Harv's Air since January 2025, raising serious concerns about operations at the flight school.
In January 2025, a flight instructor employed by the school suffered serious injuries after being struck by a propeller while a student attempted to start an aircraft engine. Just months later, in July 2025, two student pilots were killed when their single-engine planes collided mid-air during a scheduled training exercise.
The escalating pattern of accidents has prompted regulatory authorities to work closely with the school to identify systemic issues, though no formal action has been announced publicly.
This story is developing. More details will be added as the investigation unfolds.
This article is based on reporting from CBC News. Read the original story on CBC News.