British Columbia

Plane crashes near Kelowna, B.C., leaving 4 dead

Four people are dead after the crash of a twin-engine Cessna Citation that disappeared from radar soon after taking off from Kelowna, B.C.. en route to Springbank, Alta.

Twin-engine Cessna jet disappeared from radar Thursday night soon after leaving Okanagan city

A twin engine Cessna Citation, similar to the one in this photo, has crashed near Kelowna, B.C., killing all four people on board.

Former Alberta premier Jim Prentice is among four people killed in a plane crash Thursday night east of Kelowna, B.C.

The Transportation Safety Board says a twin-engine Cessna Citation disappeared from radar soon after taking off from Kelowna, headed to the Springbank Airport near Calgary.

The TSB confirmed wreckage has been found near Winfield, B.C.

The TSB's Bill Yearwood called the accident "unsurvivable."

"The aircraft is destroyed; all persons on board lost their lives," said Yearwood.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria said it received a call Thursday around 9:40 p.m. PT that a small plane had gone down.

Capt. Zlato Neral of the JRCC told CBC News that the plane disappeared from radar at an altitude of about 8,000 feet.

The aircraft was registered in Alberta and based out of Springbank.

Yearwood said the coroner will have control of the crash site.

The TSB will also be at the site to examine the wreckage and collect any cockpit or flight recording devices.

Yearwood said radar data and background information on the aircraft will also be collected in the effort to determine the cause of the accident.