The pilot and sole occupant of the Beechcraft Bonanza is 46-year-old Todd Lewendon of Surrey.

The crash of the four seat single engine aircraft occurred  on Lewendon’s birthday.

Friends say Lewendon is a husband and father of three young daughters. The family owns a home on Osoyoos Lake and makes the trip between the south Okanagan and the Lower Mainland frequently.

Lewendon is said to be an experienced pilot with close to 20 years experience.

He suffered extensive burns and is listed in critical but stable condition in the burn unit in Vancouver.

Lewendon left Oliver municipal airport after 4:30 pm Tuesday flying south but lost power at the heard of the lake and attempted to safely land on the highway. The crash occurred shortly before 5pm.