Two people are dead after a small plane crash at an airport northeast of Toronto.

The small plane reportedly went down after attempting a take-off around 9:45 a.m. at Greenbank Airport, which is located in Uxbridge.

The plane crashed in a wheat field about 500 metres west of the runway and burst into flames.

CTV Toronto has confirmed that one of the dead is Micky Jovkovic, one of Greenbank's owners.

Jovkovic flew a Rans Coyote, which is a kit plane, a type of aircraft that is assembled by the owner.

Jovkovic's partner in the kit plane is artist Bill Lishman, who became famous for flying in formation with geese.

Lishman told CTV Toronto that Jovkovic reported engine trouble before the crash.

Friends and family members gathered at the Jovkovic home, which sits just metres from the airport's grass runway.

Len McKay said his friend was flying with another friend at the time of the crash. McKay said Jovkovic was a kind man who loved to fly.

"He was a great guy, tons of energy," McKay told CTV Toronto. "He's a very generous and very giving kind of guy."

Transport Canada investigators are still on the scene investigating the exact cause of the crash.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss