Pilot Found Deceased After Small Aircraft Submerged in Kawartha Lakes

A pilot who was reported missing after failing to return from a flight on Friday has been found deceased. His small, home-built aircraft was discovered submerged in Wolfe Lake, located in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park, northwest of Peterborough, Ontario. Aircraft debris was initially recovered on Monday, with the full submerged aircraft found on Tuesday.

The 73-year-old pilot had departed Oshawa Executive Airport on Friday morning and was expected to return by 9:30 a.m. He was last seen in the Balsam Lake area. Family members reported him missing, prompting an extensive search operation involving multiple agencies, including the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and the Ontario Provincial Police.

Authorities have confirmed the pilot's death and are organizing a plan for the aircraft's recovery. The circumstances surrounding the crash are now under investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), which has dispatched a team to the area near Minden Hills. The TSB will examine the incident involving the privately registered small plane. The OPP has extended condolences to the pilot's family and expressed gratitude to the public for their assistance during the search.