Plane located in Kawartha Lakes; search continues for Oshawa pilot
Search teams located the home-built aircraft that left Oshawa Airport on the morning of Aug. 14, but investigators say the 73-year-old pilot has not been found.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at CFB Trenton advised the Canadian Press that the single‑engine, home-built aircraft was located on Wolf Lake, inside Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park in the Kawartha Lakes region. Ontario Provincial Police investigators are treating the matter as a missing person investigation.
"The plane was located on Wolf Lake, in the Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park."
Durham Regional Police first posted about the overdue aircraft on Friday after the pilot — identified only as David, age 73 — departed Oshawa at 8:30 a.m. and failed to return as expected around 9:30 a.m. The pilot is described as about 5 ft. 7 in., slim, with black-and‑grey hair and a moustache.
What officials say and what’s known
Officials from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and aircraft from CFB Trenton spent much of the weekend conducting searches across the Kawartha Lakes area, concentrating on waterways and backcountry near the last known flight path. The aircraft discovered matched the description provided by Durham Regional Police: a blue-and-yellow single home-built plane.
Investigators reported the pilot routinely flew in the area south of Kawartha Lakes township and north of Lake Scugog, and the last known location of the aircraft was believed to be near Balsam Lake.
Timeline
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug. 14, 8:30 a.m. | Pilot departs Oshawa Airport in a home-built aircraft. |
| Aug. 14, ~9:30 a.m. | Flight expected to return to Oshawa; does not arrive. |
| Weekend following Aug. 14 | Searches conducted by CFB Trenton aircraft and local agencies. |
| Update | Plane located on Wolf Lake; pilot remains missing and OPP treating case as missing person. |
Local impact and next steps
The discovery of the aircraft on Wolf Lake shifts the response from a broad aerial search to a concentrated investigation on the ground and water around the site, officials said. The OPP will co-ordinate search and investigative efforts locally, while coroner and recovery teams may be involved depending on developments.
- Aircraft: Blue-and-yellow, single, home-built.
- Pilot: Identified as David, age 73; last known location near Balsam Lake.
- Response: JRCC at CFB Trenton, CFB Trenton aircraft searches, Durham Regional Police notice, OPP missing person investigation.
For Oshawa residents, the incident is a reminder of the close ties between the city’s airport community and the broader Central Ontario lake country where many small airborne recreational flights take place. Pilots from the region commonly fly over and between lakes and rural townships; when an aircraft goes overdue, search efforts typically involve a mix of military, provincial and local resources because of the region’s extensive waterways and forested areas.
Investigators have not released further identifying details about the pilot beyond his first name and age. Members of the public with information about the flight, sightings of the aircraft in the Kawartha Lakes area, or activity around Wolf Lake on the morning of Aug. 14 are asked to contact investigators.
WE NEWS will continue to monitor updates from the OPP, Durham Regional Police and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and will report new developments as they are released.
