Newlywed Toronto couple among seven people killed in Kingston plane crash

TORONTO -- A newlywed Toronto couple are among the seven people who were killed when a small plane crashed in Kingston earlier this week.

Emergency crews were called to a wooded area about six kilometres north of Norman Rogers Airport on Wednesday evening after a Piper PA-32 crashed.

The American-registered plane took off Wednesday afternoon from Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham, Ont. and was attempting to land in Kingston. The plane's final destination was Quebec, authorities said. 

Among the seven people killed were three children. There are no survivors. 

The TSB said on Friday the wreckage was being taken to a facility in Richmond Hill for further analysis.

Investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Ken Webster, said on Thursday the wreckage indicates the angle of impact was very steep and that the six-seater plane was completely destroyed. 

Toronto newlyweds killed in crash

The pilot, identified as Texas resident Otabek Oblokulov, his wife and three children were killed in the crash, family members say. Records show the plane was registered to Oblokulov.

The pilot's brother-in-law and brother-in-law's wife were also killed. The brother-in-law, identified as Bobomurod Nabiev, and his wife, Sabina Usmanova, were newlywed Toronto residents, friends of the couple confirmed to CTV News Toronto.

According to the friend, Nabiev worked in IT in Toronto while Usmanova worked in a luggage shop. The couple got married in Uzbekistan in June.

"Bobomurod recently got married, he was enjoying his happy days, and the newlywed couple had big plans ahead," a GoFundMe page said on Friday. 

"He was an amazing young guy, well-mannered, hardworking and caring friend."

"All his friends in Toronto and beyond are saddened at this most difficult of times."

Meanwhile, Otabek Oblokulov's brother, Oybek Oblokulov, told CTV News Toronto in a phone interview his brother was a generous man. 

"People who know him and anyone you ask they will say all nice things about him," Oybek Oblokulov said.

According to his brother, Otabek Oblokulov got his pilot's licence about three years ago and owned the plane for about two years.

He said his brother moved to the United States from Uzbekistan at least 15 years ago.

Mehmet Basti, a Toronto college professor who is a friend of Otabek Oblokulov, said that the group was planning to spend three days in Quebec City for the American Thanksgiving holiday.

The three children on the plane were aged 13, nine and five, family friends say.

"We're waiting for the call when they landed,” he said. “We couldn’t reach them."

"We are in shock. We’re just trying to understand the situation."

Oblokulov was an experienced pilot, Basti added, saying that this was his first time flying in Canada.

Investigation into cause of crash continues

TSB investigators were at the scene investigating the cause of the crash Friday, interviewing witnesses and reviewing the plane’s maintenance history.

Webster said that the air force was able to find the wreckage due to an emergency locator that had turned on after impact.

Earlier in the day, TSB spokesperson Chris Krepski offered his condolences to the families of the deceased. "We understand they want answers rapidly and I'd like to offer my sincere condolences," Krepski said near the crash site.

"It's difficult to say how long it will be before the wreckage is removed. We need to take the time necessary to document and examine the aircraft. That will give us some ideas of how the aircraft collided with terrain," Krepski said.

A special weather statement had been issued for Kingston on Wednesday evening. Environment Canada warned of “strong southwesterly winds gusting to 80 km/h.”

Buttonville Municipal Airport is located in the 16th Avenue and Highway 404 area in Markham and is about 29 kilometres from downtown Toronto.