Story By: Anna Casap, Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

Video Credit: CEN/@tlt_063

This is the moment an aerobatic aircraft takes to the sky before suddenly spiralling and crashing to the ground in front of a crowd of onlookers.

The incident was filmed at an airfield in the village of Podstepki near the city of Tolyatti in Stavropolsky district in the south-western Russian region of Samara Oblast, and was shared on social media where it has been widely circulated.

In the footage, the small aerobatic plane is seen taking to the sky and flying off into the near distance.

Suddenly, the aircraft starts losing altitude and ends up spinning to the ground, seemingly crashing just beyond the treeline.

The 49-year-old pilot, named Sergey Khimich, died on the spot, according to reports.

Khimich, who was the airfield’s senior aviation chief, was flying a Yakovlev Yak-55 single-seat aerobatic aircraft when he crashed for as yet unknown reasons, according to local media.

Reports said that the victim, who owned the plane, took off to perform aerobatic tricks in front of a small crowd without the required permission.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the plane spiralling to the ground before catching fire.

The local authorities have confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the accident while confirming that Khimich’s flight was unauthorised.

At the moment, it is believed that the accident was either caused by a piloting error or a technical problem with the Yak-55 aircraft.

The investigation is ongoing.

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