Pilot identified after fatal crash during Remembrance Day ceremony near Quebec City

A pilot died after a small plane involved in a Remembrance Day ceremony crashed near Saint-Georges, Beauce, about 100 kilometres south of Quebec City.

The deceased pilot was 68-year-old Daniel Parent, according to a source confirmed by CTV News.

The crash occurred around 11 a.m. in a wooded area near the Saint-Georges airport. The aircraft was part of a formation of six planes performing a Missing Man aerial salute during the ceremony, and the plane was on its final approach for landing when it went down.

Sureté du Québec and the Transport Safety Board are leading the investigation, with the major crime unit assessing whether there was any criminal aspect to the incident. The pilot was alone in the aircraft and was from the Saint-Georges area.

Witnesses described the plane breaking away from the formation and appearing to fly lower than the others before disappearing behind trees; black smoke was later reported, and one witness noted a nosedive. Local officials expressed condolences but did not provide additional details about injuries or outcomes.