Chilliwack, Canada: A pilot was killed after two Cessna 172 aircraft collided in mid-air near Chilliwack Airport in British Columbia on August 3, 2026, prompting a multi-agency investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
According to an RCMP statement issued on August 4 by Staff Sgt. Kris Clark, senior media relations officer with RCMP E Division, Chilliwack RCMP responded to reports of a mid-air collision at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Monday, August 3.
“Members of the Chilliwack RCMP responded to a report of a mid-air collision between two planes that occurred in the Chilliwack area at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Monday, August 3,” Clark said.
Clark said Chilliwack RCMP, the Lower Mainland District Police Dog Services (LMD IPDS), Chilliwack Fire Department, and Chilliwack Search and Rescue (SAR) searched for the downed aircraft after receiving the report.
“A small plane was located in a pond near Industrial Access Road in Chilliwack. The second plane was able to make it back safely to the airport. The occupants did not sustain injuries,” Clark stated.
The RCMP said its Underwater Recovery Team (URT) recovered the submerged aircraft and located the pilot.
“The RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) attended the scene and located one male deceased victim and the plane. Recovery efforts are currently underway,” Clark said.
The statement added that the Chilliwack RCMP General Investigation Services Team (GIST) is assisting federal investigators.
“Chilliwack RCMP General Investigation Services Team (GIST) is currently supporting Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) with their ongoing investigation. This multi-agency investigation is working to understand the circumstances that led to the collision,” Clark said.
The RCMP has not identified the deceased pilot, nor has it released a suspected cause of the collision.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed it has deployed an investigation team to Chilliwack following the occurrence. The agency said investigators would collect evidence and assess the accident involving two Cessna 172 aircraft. The TSB reiterated that its role is to advance transportation safety and that it does not assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
Before the RCMP confirmed the fatality, Garry Atkins, manager of Chilliwack Airport, told The Canadian Press that the aircraft involved were operated by two local flight schools. He said one aircraft, carrying two occupants, landed safely at Chilliwack Airport, while the second aircraft, with one person on board, came to rest in a quarry lagoon after the collision.
RCMP and Transport Canada have not publicly identified or confirmed the involvement of any specific flight schools at the time of reporting.
As of August 5, investigators have not publicly determined what caused the two aircraft to collide. The identities of the pilots and the sequence of events leading to the collision remain under investigation.
