Two Student Pilots Die in Midair Collision Manitoba

Two student pilots died in a rare mid-air collision near Steinbach, Manitoba, while practicing takeoffs and landings in single-engine Cessna planes operated by Harv's Air flight training school. The planes, a Cessna 152 and a Cessna 172, appeared to have attempted to land simultaneously and collided a few hundred yards from the runway. Both pilots were flying solo with no passengers on board; one was training for a private pilot license and the other preparing for commercial certification. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed the fatalities at the scene but withheld the victims' identities pending family notification. Harv's Air, a long-established flight school training about 400 students annually, has temporarily suspended operations and brought in counselors for staff and students. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has launched an investigation focusing on flight paths, communications, and adherence to protocols to determine the cause of the crash.