AN EYEWITNESS to a plane crash has said how she saw the aircraft disappear from view before hearing a "loud thump".

A small plane crashed in a field in Titch Hill near Steyning earlier this afternoon, with two men - the pilot and the passenger, being taken to hospital by air ambulance. Their condition was initially assessed as "serious".

Laura Safont had been walking with her friend Adrian Hart between Findon and Steyning when she saw the plane coming down.

She said: "We saw the plane flying dangerously low when it disappeared behind a hill, heard a loud thump and then called the police.

"It was obviously quite a surprise but both Adrian and I were simply concerned for the passengers.

"After it came down, we saw two planes circling and then a helicopter arrived."

Laura also said that the plane "seemed to be quite quiet" before it crashed.

The Argus: Emergency vehicles attended the scene of the incident: credit - Steve CarterEmergency vehicles attended the scene of the incident: credit - Steve Carter

Pictures from the scene show several emergency vehicles, including a fire engine, attending the incident in the aftermath of the crash.

Air accident investigators were also called to the scene.

Plane "declared mayday due to engine failure"

The crash took place almost four miles north-west of Shoreham Airport, where a former military aircraft crashed during an aerial display in 2015, killing 11 people.

A spokeswoman from Shoreham Airport air traffic control said that the aircraft was not based in Shoreham and was just transiting.

She said: "The aircraft declared a mayday, due to engine failure and force-landed in a field near Steyning.

"The air ambulance was in the area and redirected to the site; we understand that the pilot and his passenger were taken to hospital."

A police spokesman said: "At 1pm on Friday (February 11), emergency services responded to reports that a light aircraft had crashed on open downland at Titch Hill between Steyning and Wiston in West Sussex.

"There were reported to be two men in the aircraft, pilot and passenger, who received medical attention at the scene.

"They were then being taken by air ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and their conditions were initially assessed as serious.

"The Air Accident Investigation Branch has been informed and will be attending the scene."

A spokeswoman from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said that an investigation into the crash has been launched and "a team of inspectors and support staff have been deployed to the accident site to begin gathering evidence."

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