A close call for an Alberta pilot knocked out power to thousands of people in southern Alberta on Tuesday. The unidentified pilot was landing at the Olds-Didsbury Airport, north of Calgary, about 8 p.m. when the aircraft flew under powerlines and clipped them as it landed. The 59-year-old pilot was able to complete the landing even though the lines had damaged the Cherokee 180’s prop, wing, tail and windshield. He was not injured.
“After the collision, he did a good job landing the airplane safely,” RCMP spokesman Staff Sgt. Chad Fournier told the CBC. The resulting power outage turned out the lights over a wide area for four hours but it could have been worse. The area was just coming out of a deep freeze that saw temperatures in minus 30s.