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The aircraft experienced a mid-air collision with another aircraft while on approach to the Hood Aerodome near the Hughes Line in Masterton, North Island. Both aircraft were consumed by the post-crash fire and the sole pilot on board each airplane was fatally injured.

Emergency services were called to the scene after two light aircraft crashed near the Hood Aerodrome at around 11 am.

Skydive Wellington has confirmed one of its planes was involved, and the Wairarapa Aero Club (WAC) says a pilot with two years’ experience was flying the other.

It is understood that at the time of the collision, the skydiving plane was returning to the aerodrome after skydivers jumped.

At a news conference this afternoon, police told reporters that one of the planes was a training plane and the other had been carrying four parachutists who had just been dropped into the air and the plane was returning to the aerodrome.

It was coming in to land when it collided with the other plane at about 300 feet and the impact was very severe with police saying both pilots likely died on impact.

The accident is believed to have happened in uncontrolled airspace as both aircraft were on final approach to the Hood aerodrome runway.

“They were unsighted to each other and collided mid-air, we believe both pilots are dead,” says WAC chief flying instructor Robert Thurston.

The WAC plane was a Tecnam Sierra 2 seater and was one of their training planes.

Police say more information will be released as it becomes available.

The Civil Aviation Authority has been notified will be investigating.