Pilot killed at China air show

A South African pilot has died after his plane crashed during an air show in China's Gansu province.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the plane crash occurred at 10:47 a.m. (9:47 a.m. Hanoi time) on September 27 at the 1st Silk Road International Aviation Exhibition. The exhibition took place at Danxia Airport, Gansu Province, from August 26 to 28.

The pilot who died was Paul Smith, a South African who worked for a US-based flight crew. The crash did not cause any casualties on the ground.

Video footage provided by exhibition visitors shows the plane losing control as it descends and crashes into the Gobi desert, 100 metres from the airport runway.

The US aerobatic team has canceled all demonstration flights, while other teams' displays continue as scheduled.

The cause of the plane crash is under investigation.

The plane lost control while it was going down. Photo: Xinhua

Danxia Airport, which opened on August 26, is the first general aviation airport in Gansu. The exhibition was held to celebrate the airport's inauguration.

'General aviation' is a term used to describe all civil aviation activities, except for scheduled commercial flights. For example, 'general aviation' could include medical evacuation flights, a scenic hot air balloon ride, or using an aircraft to plant seeds, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) website.

According to Zing