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WWII plane crashes near airshow WWII aircraft pilot dies in crash
(30 minutes later)
A WWII plane taking part in an airshow has crashed, according to police. The pilot of a WWII plane was killed when his aircraft crashed during an airshow display in West Sussex.
A spokesman for Shoreham Airshow in West Sussex confirmed the aircraft - thought to be a World War II plane - went down in countryside. A spokesman for Shoreham Airshow in West Sussex confirmed that one person died when the Hurricane went down in countryside at 1520 BST.
He said the accident happened away from the airfield on Saturday afternoon and no spectators were hurt. He said no-one else was hurt or injured during the accident which took place north of the A27 on Saturday afternoon.
It is not clear how many people were on board the plane but the spokesman described the accident, which happened one mile from the airfield, as serious. The Air Accident Investigation Board are expected to carry out an investigation into the cause of crash.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: "There has been an aircraft crash that was taking part in the Royal Air Forces Association show.
They were doing a mock dog fight and it looked like the plane was doing a dive, but it was going too fast and smashed straight into the ground. Holly RussellThey were doing a mock dog fight and it looked like the plane was doing a dive, but it was going too fast and smashed straight into the ground. Holly Russell
"It has crashed into a field north of the airfield. At this stage I am unable to confirm if there was a fatality."
Tim Deakin, who saw the plane plough into the hillside, told BBC News 24: "The main point of the show was a Second World War dogfight between some Messerschmitts and some Spitfires.Tim Deakin, who saw the plane plough into the hillside, told BBC News 24: "The main point of the show was a Second World War dogfight between some Messerschmitts and some Spitfires.
"Midway through the dogfight one of the planes, I'm not sure which one, literally, turned quite steeply, went into almost a straight dive and ploughed into a hill probably about a mile from the airfield. "Midway through the dogfight one of the planes, I'm not sure which one, literally, turned quite steeply, went into almost a straight dive and ploughed into a hill probably about a mile from the airfield."
"There's still quite a bit of confusion about which aircraft it was."
Formation flypastFormation flypast
Two Spitfires carried out a flypast in the "man missed in action" formation shortly after the crash, he said.Two Spitfires carried out a flypast in the "man missed in action" formation shortly after the crash, he said.
Around 20,000 people were expected to attend the airshow. Around 20,000 people are believed to have attended the show on Saturday.
Spectators said the airshow was delayed for about 30 minutes but organisors said over the tannoy system that the pilot would have wanted them to carry on. Its website describes the weekend event as "one of the premier airshows in the UK".
It is located at the UK's oldest licensed airport and includes a number of air displays and ground events.
The theme for this year's event was the "50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight".
Spectators said the airshow was delayed for about 30 minutes but organisers said over the tannoy system that the pilot would have wanted them to carry on.
Eyewitness Holly Russell, from Worthing, said: "They were doing a mock dog fight and it looked like the plane was doing a dive, but it was going too fast and smashed straight into the ground.Eyewitness Holly Russell, from Worthing, said: "They were doing a mock dog fight and it looked like the plane was doing a dive, but it was going too fast and smashed straight into the ground.
"It was nose down... There was a mushroom cloud of black smoke.""It was nose down... There was a mushroom cloud of black smoke."
A spkesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said they were unable to say whether anyone had been killed or injured. Sussex Police have urged anyone with video or photographic footage of the crash to contact them.