What happened
On 14 April 2022, a privately registered Piper PA-24-250 departed from Delhi Aerodrome, Ontario, intended for a visual flight rules (VFR) trip to Marathon Airport, Ontario. The aircraft was carrying two private pilots at the time of departure. After the flight failed to arrive at its destination and the pilots did not report their arrival, NAV CANADA began procedures to locate the overdue plane. The final recorded position of the aircraft was roughly 15 nautical miles south of Wawa Airport, Ontario.
Following the disappearance, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) led an extensive search operation lasting 10 days. This effort involved the use of helicopters, various aircraft, and ground teams. On 21 May 2022, the wreckage of the aircraft was located within a heavily forested region.
The investigation
The TSB conducted a Class 4 investigation into the incident. This type of investigation is limited in scope and focuses on the immediate circumstances of the occurrence. The investigation confirmed the location of the wreckage and the timeline of the search operations conducted by the JRCC.