The TSB has confirmed the plane was on a private pleasure flight that had taken off from Bishop, Calif., and was headed to Nanaimo, B.C.

Aviation experts say the evidence suggests there was some kind of mechanical or technical trouble before the plane could land.

Alex Bahlsen, 61, has been identified as the pilot. Bahlsen owned the plane and had decades of experience both flying and instructing.

The BC Coroners Service confirmed Friday that it had identified one of the victims as a man in his 60s from Mill Bay, B.C.

The agency said a man and woman also died in the crash, and work is underway to confirm their identities. It will not release the names of any of the victims due to privacy.

Aviation experts who reviewed the crash photos and radar approach of the plane on the evening of Dec. 10 say the details of how it suddenly seemed to fall fits the scenario of some kind of instrument failure.

«If you lost those instruments, it’s pretty much like losing your eyes,» said former TSB investigator Bill Yearwood.

«I can tell you I certainly feel anxiety even thinking about it. I am a pilot and being in that situation and losing critical flight instruments … to think about it scares the hell out of me.»

Transport Canada publishes a report of Civil Aviation Daily Occurrences called CADORS.

In the Gabriola Island crash, the aircraft was approaching Nanaimo on track for a landing using an instrument landing system when an «equipment issue» was reported and the pilot turned away from the approach, according to the CADORS report. Within minutes, the aircraft dropped off the radar.

Nav Canada is the company that owns and operates Canada’s civil air navigation service.

CADORS reports are preliminary and are subject to change.

The TSB remains on the large crash site on Gabriola and continues to collect data and survey the wreckage, much of which has disintegrated.

The BC Coroners Office is making a further announcement later today.