A Whitehorse man was killed last Saturday after his plane crashed near Faro.

Justin Kolla, 31, has been identified as the pilot and sole-occupant of a model 7GCBC Citabria.

The aircraft crashed last Saturday afternoon in the Mount Menzi area, about 51 kilometres north of Faro, the Yukon Coroner’s Service said Tuesday afternoon.

According to Heather Jones, the territory’s acting chief coroner, Kolla and another man, who has not been identified, left Whitehorse at around 11:30 last Saturday morning. They were flying separate planes.

The pair was planning a three-day hunting trip to Russell Creek, about 64 kilometres north of Faro.

They had intended to fly directly to Russell Creek. Due to the weather, however, they had to take a more westerly route over lower terrain.

Kolla’s plane last had contact with the other aircraft at 1:20 p.m.

When he did not show up at Russell Creek, the other man backtracked and located the wreckage near Menzi Mountain at 2:30 p.m.

Faro RCMP received report of the crash at around 4 p.m. Saturday.

Shortly afterward, via helicopter, officers located the wreckage and found Kolla deceased at the site.

The coroner’s service is extending its condolences to family members and friends of Kolla.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing. It’s being led by the coroner’s service with assistance from the Faro RCMP and Transport Canada.