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'It's what we're supposed to do': man helps rescue pilot after Langley plane crash

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Good Samaritan speaks out after plane crash A witness helped out after a plane crash at the Langley regional airport Tuesday that sent three people to hospital; they all survived.

Kirk Wood just happened to be driving home from a doctor’s appointment Tuesday afternoon, moments before a plane came crashing down at the Langley Regional Airport.

“I saw one plane land ahead of it. I was probably five to seven cars back of a traffic light,” Wood told CTV News.

“The light went green, I saw another plane come in pretty low, and at one point realized there was going to be a crash,” he continued.

Unfortunately, Wood was right.

Just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, the plane came crashing down, striking a Township of Langley pick-up truck on its way down before catching fire.

Wood, a former firefighter, says he pulled over, called 9-1-1, then dashed towards the scene.

“I ran down the road across a bit of a swampy ditch there towards the aircraft, the fire had started at that point, I’m trying to replay it all in my mind, but it was big enough that it was concerning,” Wood said.

Wood said the female passenger was able to get herself out of the plane, but he and another man had to help the male pilot.

“He had a head injury, he seemed, as you’d expect impacted by the crash,” Wood said.

The couple were airlifted to hospital, but Wednesday their son told CTV News they are now at home with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Township of Langley employee was also taken to hospital, but is now at home recovering as well, according to the municipality.

Wood says he spoke to the pilot over the phone this morning.

”I was really happy to hear his voice, it was a little emotional for me to know that he’s really okay and his wife is as well,” he said.

“That’s really what the story is about, emergency services did their part and there was a good outcome, so it’s fantastic.”

Wood says he isn’t sure if it was his firefighter instincts kicking in, but isn’t looking for any credit.

“It’s what we’re supposed to do,”

The Transportation Safety Board says it has deployed a team of investigators, but cannot provide any further comment.