Two people have died after a small passenger plane crashed and exploded in Vernon,  B.C., on Saturday afternoon.  The RCMP confirmed that the crash occurred shortly before 1 p.m. local time. The plane took off from the Vernon Regional Airport, which is about an hour north of Kelowna, and crashed into a recreational field adjacent to the airport called Marshall Field. Vernon Morning Star reporter Graeme Corbett told CTV News Channel that there could have been more fatalities had the recreational field been in use. “It was quite fortunate that no one on the ground was injured or killed in this, as well,” he said. The RCMP and the Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. They have not yet released the names of the victims or details of where the plane was heading.
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Plane crash in Marshall Field (P McIntyre)
Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Saturday, 07 July 2012 20:00  Update 8pm
RCMP say a 59 year old Kelowna man was the pilot of the plane that crashed in a Vernon sports field today. He died along with a 55 year old passenger from Port Moody. The cause of the crash of the twin engine Piper is under investigation by the Transportation Safety Board and the BC Coroner's Service.