Chipewyan Lake missionary dies

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A lay missionary, store owner and pilot who served the tiny northern community of Chipewyan Lake was found dead Nov. 21 in the wreckage of his light plane.

John Horstenier, 46, was flying from Chipewyan Lake to his home in Athabasca when the crash occurred, said friend and colleague Pastor Les Stahlke.

Horstenier, of the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots, ran a store in Chipewyan Lake, said Stahlke. He and his family had moved there in 1973.

Cpl. Wayne Sutherland of the Boyle detachment said the wreckage of the single-engine Cessna 206A was found in dense bush about eight km southwest of Boyle. Boyle is about 125 km north of Edmonton.

Horstenier had taken off from Chipewyan Lake, 250 km north of Athabasca, and had been scheduled to return at 7 p.m. Sunday.

The plane sent out a distress signal. A Canadian Forces Base Edmonton rescue crew searched the area without success because of bad visibility.

A helicopter was finally able to take off when the weather began to life just after 10 a.m. Monday.

Sutherland said the plane was found "about 100 to 150 metres from an occupied farmhouse."

The residents hadn't heard the crash because there was no fire or explosion, Sutherland said.

Harry Boyko, Canadian Aviation Safety Board spokesman, said two investigators went to the scene Monday morning.

Stahlke said funeral services were held Thursday Nov. 26.