Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to the "outstanding" pilot who died in a horrific crash.

Mike Chapman, 57, of Greenways Crescent in Shoreham, was the co-pilot of the private plane which ploughed into a house in Farnborough, Kent, and burst into flames.

All five passengers and crew aboard the twin-engined Cessna Citation I were killed on Sunday.

Mr Chapman was co-owner of The Real Flying Company at Shoreham airport with his wife Kathy.

A work colleague from the flying school, who asked not to be named, said: "We are all very shocked. Mike was an outstanding person and pilot."

Eyewitnesses said it was a "miracle" more people had not been killed but said the pilot appeared to make a desperate bid to avoid houses.

They described seeing panic on the faces of those inside before the plane clipped a building and crashed.

The jet had taken off from Biggin Hill Airport and was heading to Pau, in south west France.

It was only around five miles from the airport when the pilot put out a mayday call and it was around two miles north of the airport when it crashed.

Mr Chapman was flying the light aircraft with Surrey pilot Michael Roberts to a Jaguar car event.

Among the dead in the crash were ex-touring car champion David Leslie and racing team owner Richard Lloyd.

Mr Chapman was a full-time flying instructor and examiner. He taught at several flying schools and was chief flying instructor for ten years at Warbird Flying, based at Shoreham airport.

John Haffenden, Shoreham airport manager, had known Mr Chapman for several years.

He said: "He was an extremely competent, professional pilot and his death is a sad loss to the industry and the airport.

"I heard about the accident soon after it happened and I was told that he was involved about three hours afterwards.

"Mike was very calm, extremely competent in the job that he did and he was a lovely person."

Tributes to Mr Chapman posted on The Argus website describe him as a "delightful man" and "very competent pilot".

Malcolm and Jane Blows, of Ashington, near Storrington, wrote: "He really was one of the good ones. He will be a great loss to Shoreham airport and aviation in general. He really was one of the good guys."

Steve Shephard, from Twineham, near Burgess Hill, said: "Mike was one in a million. A true gentleman. He will be missed by many. He was a true God in the sky."

Friend Terri Shanks, of Worthing, wrote: "I am lost for words. Mike was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He was a brilliant pilot and teacher. I know he will be sorely missed by so many people."

Mr Chapman began his flying career when he learned to fly gliders with the Air Training Corps in 1967. Two years later he gained his power licence on a flying scholarship.

In 1985 he qualified as a pilot instructor and after achieving a commercial pilots licence he flew commercial planes on short-haul operations for major airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa, Alitalia and Air France.

Investigators were last night combing the wreckage of the crash for clues as to what caused the accident.

Experts from the United States and Canada are travelling to the UK to help the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) with their inquiry into the accident.

No "black box" flight data recorder was fitted to the plane, which was privately registered.

Pay your tributes to Mr Chapman below.