TWO MEN were in hospital last night after the light aircraft they were flying crashed.
The plane went down shortly after 3pm yesterday at Colehill, Co Longford, less than 3km (almost two miles) from Abbeyshrule aerodrome, from where it had taken off, according to gardaí.
The two men were transported by ambulance to the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar, where their condition was described as "comfortable".
Frank Russell, an inspector of air accidents with the Air Accident Investigation Unit, said that an inquiry into the incident had already begun and two inspectors from the investigation unit were at the scene.
The plane was a single-engine two-seat Condor, he said.
This was confirmed by a spokesman for the Irish Aviation Authority, who said that the plane went down at Colehill between Ballymahon and Edgeworthstown in Co Longford.
He said that air traffic control in Shannon had been alerted to the incident by a witness.