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OPP maintains missing plane may be in Nottawasaga Bay

Debris from a Cessna 182 was found along the shores of Tiny Township, Saturday morning.

“At this point, it leads us to believe that it's crashed into the water,” Hobson said Saturday.

The OPP have not located the pilot, identified as Wildfred Oscar
Burnside, 64, of Owen Sound, the aircraft, or the crash scene, Hobson
added. Burnside's plane is a white, with red trim 1968 Cessna 182,
bearing the registration number CFIMQ.

“(The pilot is) presumed to be a missing person,” he said.

Burnside, known to family and friends as Oscar, was reported missing
when the single-engine Cessna failed to arrive at the Billy Bishop
Regional Airport, east of Owen Sound, at its scheduled time.

The plane left Cornwall at 5:10 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive near Owen Sound at 7:55 p.m.

Burnside is a long-time realtor, teacher and principal in the Owen Sound area.

Const. Kris Beatty said police employed a 19-foot boat Saturday to
try to find the plane or at least better pinpoint where it might have
crashed.

“The weather’s hampering our search efforts,” said Beatty as he and
other OPP officers packed up their gear Saturday after a day of
searching under rainy, cold and windy conditions.

Beatty said officers combed a large section of beach from Sprat Point
to Jackson Beach Park to try to find possible debris from the plane.

“We had officers walking along the beach and also had two ATVs
driving along the shore to try to find any debris,” Beatty said,
pointing out police also canvassed nearby homes to try to find somebody
who may have found debris in their yard.

“We don’t have a lot of answers right now. Basically, we’re doing recovery work.”

Two aircraft from the Canadian Forces Joint Rescue Coordination
Centre in Trenton and two from the Civil Air Search and Rescue
Association were dispatched Thursday to aid in the search.

The search, which involved more than 40, continued most of Friday.

Police concentrated their efforts in the Midland area based on the pilot's cellphone company.

"The aircraft did have and electronic locater transmitter but there
was no indication of a distress activation. However it is an older model
and not as reliable," said David Elias of RCAF media relations.

On Saturday, members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP and OPP Central
Region Snowmobile ATV and Vessel Enforcement (S.A.V.E.) team were
scouring the shoreline on ATVS and on foot from Concession Road 4 to
Concession Road 8.

“They are searching for any pieces of debris and there have been a
few pieces of debris consistent with that of an aircraft that have
washed up on shore this morning,” Hobson said.

The OPP helicopter unit has been conducting an aerial search of the shoreline.

“When we're able to ascertain where there may be an actual crash
scene, should we be able to do that, we'll organize a plan at that
point,” Hobson said.

He expects the search will continue Sunday, with use of the OPP Helicopter Unit if weather permits.