A plane crash near Muskoka Airport in Ontario's cottage country has claimed the lives of two men, Ontario Provincial Police say.

Police said they were called to the crash site south of County Road 1018 outside Bracebridge just after 5 p.m. Friday. It's not known yet what type of small plane was involved.

Stefan Ottenbrite said he was on his way to a car wash nearby when he saw something coming out of the air and traffic slowed down.

His friend, who was in the passenger seat, spotted the plane go down outside their right-hand side window. The two ran over to see if they could help.

"It was gruesome," Ottenbrite said of the scene, speaking by phone from near Bracebridge.

"It was like something out of a movie. I drive these routes for work and pleasure so often and you never think something like this is going to happen."

Ontario Provincial Police say they were called to the crash site south of County Road 1018 outside Bracebridge just after 5 p.m. Friday. It's not known yet what type of small plane was involved. (Brigitte Alie Girard/Facebook)

Police have not yet confirmed whether the plane was taking off or landing prior to the crash.

Ontario Provincial Police said one of the men who died was from Stratford and the other from Bracebridge, but their identities aren't immediately being released.

Const. Mark Kinney told CBC Toronto the two men were in their late 40s or early 50s and were the sole occupants of the plane.

Muskoka Airport is currently closed.

The Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of investigators to the scene.