Middle Wallop replica crash plane kills Horsham pilot

The pilot of a First World War replica plane who was killed when it crashed at a Hampshire airfield was a 68-year-old man from Horsham in West Sussex.

The man, who has not been named, died when the single engine, single wing aircraft came down at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop.

Police said the aircraft was involved in a practice display when the crash happened at 16:55 BST on Saturday.

The Air Accident Investigations Branch and Hampshire police are investigating.

Nick Bayes, who witnessed the aftermath of the incident, said he saw "maybe a dozen" planes in the air moments before he was alerted to the crash.

Mr Bayes, from Andover, said the aircraft included biplanes and triplanes.

He added: "I was returning home... and saw a large number of replica aircraft doing circuits over the airfield. There were maybe a dozen or so in the air.

"I stopped to take photos and a white van pulled into the lay-by and the driver said: 'One has just crashed'. I could see smoke but not the aircraft.

"It was unusual because they were so close together. If it was not a display itself, it looked like they were practising for a display."

Emergency crews declared the pilot dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

Police have appealed for witnesses who saw the accident to contact them.