Two men have escaped serious injury after crashing a light plane into paddock next to a schoolyard near Ballarat.

The plane ploughed a lucerne paddock adjacent to the Cape Clear Primary School yard, about 38 kilometres south-west of Ballarat, about 1.30pm on Wednesday.

The plane crashed into a schoolyard at Cape Clear, near Ballarat. Credit:The Courier

It is believed the men were forced to make an emergency landing, having been seen circling above the area before the crash.

The plane hit a powerline on the way down.