Tragic Mid-Air Collision Claims Life of Student Pilot in Manitoba
On Tuesday morning, a devastating mid-air collision between two single-engine aircraft resulted in the death of a female student pilot.
Adam Penner, president of Harv’s Air Pilot Training School in Steinbach, Manitoba, revealed to CBC that the two student pilots were practicing takeoffs and landings in small Cessna planes when the accident occurred around 8:45 a.m.
Penner explained that both pilots appeared to be attempting to land simultaneously, leading to the collision just a few hundred yards from the runway.
Despite both planes being equipped with radios, it seems the pilots were unaware of each other’s approach, contributing to the tragic accident.
An official investigation is now underway to determine the exact circumstances behind the crash.
“We don’t understand how they could get so close together,” Adam Penner, president of Harv’s Air Pilot Training School, said solemnly. “We’ll have to wait for the investigation.”
One of the pilots had only been training for a few months, while the other was on the verge of earning a commercial license. Both were tragically declared dead at the scene.
Family members identified one of the victims as 20-year-old Savanna May Royes, describing her as the “essence of pure joy.” Though authorities have yet to officially confirm the identities, the family released a heartfelt statement:
“Savanna’s faith and laughter will forever touch everyone who was lucky enough to have known her during her short life.”
Nearby residents Nathaniel and Lucille Plett recounted the terrifying sounds they heard early Tuesday morning.
“We heard some kind of crackling, banging sound, then the engine cut off,” Lucille told Global News. “Sometimes they do stunts here and turn the engine off, but then they turn it back on. This time, we knew something was wrong.”
Nathaniel described seeing a “pillar of black smoke” rise, followed moments later by a louder crash and an even bigger burst of smoke.
For Penner’s parents—founders of the flight school since the 1970s, which trains pilots from around the globe—this was an unthinkable tragedy in what is usually a safe and close-knit environment.
An official investigation is underway to uncover how this heartbreaking accident unfolded.
“For more than 51 years, we have proudly offered the very best flight training — the safest, most enjoyable way possible,” states Harv’s Air Pilot Training School on their website.
The tragic collision took place about 42 miles south of Winnipeg and has been formally reported to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Investigators have been dispatched to the scene to determine the cause of the accident.