The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has deployed a team of investigators to the site of plane crash where a 60-year-old Manitoba man was found dead.

The crash occurred near Baldur, Man., about two hours southwest of Winnipeg.

Family members confirmed the man who died in the crash is 60-year-old Harold Parsonage. They told CTV News Parsonage is from the Baldur area and had been flying a long time and his death is tragic news.

Read more: RCMP respond to fatal plane crash in Baldur, Man.

Reeve Daniel Martens said the community is in shock.

Martens said Parsonage is a commercial field sprayer and had logged lots of hours.

“The community is in disbelief,” said Martens.

Martens said with the timing of his death being so close to Christmas, the loss is especially difficult.

“That's going to be really hard on the family, but if they need any help at all I'm sure the community will be more than willing to help in any way shape or form,” said Martens.

RCMP said they received a report of an overdue plane on Friday evening at 7:45pm.

Police said the pilot was flying alone in his personal Piper aircraft from Gillam to a private landing ‎strip in the RM of Argyle, and has been scheduled to return by 6:30 p.m.

Police said just past his scheduled arrival time, contact was lost with the pilot and the aircraft.

Police said around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the plane was located in a wooded area, in close proximity to the landing strip, near Baldur.

The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene.

Transportation Safety Board of Canada deployed

On Sunday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said two investigators arrived on scene, and the aircraft involved is a Piper PA 23 250, also known as an Aztec.

"The time of the accident had not been determined yet. It's still very early investigation. They have to conduct field work to gather important data," said TSB spokesperson Geneviève Corbin.

Two people living in the area tell CTV News it was snowing around the time when Parsonage was returning home.

The TSB said it will be looking at weather, the pilot's training and qualification, as well as mechanical aspects of the aircraft. It said the aircraft model and any company affiliations with the plane will also be examined.