A helicopter pilot has been pronounced dead after their aircraft crashed into a field in Whitchurch-Stouffville Tuesday afternoon.
Whitchurch-Stouffville Fire Chief Richard Renaud said they were called around 2 p.m. after a helicopter had lost contact with Buttonville Airport.
Renaud said that the helicopter was found in a field north of Preston Lake, south of St. John’s Sideroad, at 2:55 p.m.
The pilot, who was the lone occupant of the aircraft, had been ejected from the helicopter.
“York EMS was on scene and attempted to treat the patient. Unfortunately he was pronounced dead at the scene,” Renaud said. “We do not know how this incident happened. All I know was there was a helicopter in distress in our area.”
York Regional Police Const. Laura Nicolle said she was told the helicopter had experienced “a technical difficulty” before it lost contact with the airport.
Nicolle also said that it appears as though the helicopter made a hard landing and crashed into the area.
There was a small fire, Renaud told reporters, but firefighters were able to put out the flames.
The helicopter’s owner, Essential Helicopters, told CTV News Toronto that “it’s been confirmed one of our aircraft and one of our senior pilots were involved in a crash.”
They also said they were cooperating with authorities.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has sent a team of investigators to the scene of the crash.
Warden Avenue is closed between St. Johns Sideroad and Aurora Road.
