ONGAR — Two people died after a two-seat Cessna aircraft crashed in a field off Mill Lane in Ongar, Essex, on Tuesday. "At 12.30pm [on Tuesday] we were contacted by members of the public who reported a small aircraft had crashed in a field off Mill Lane, Ongar," said Detective Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate. "The two-seat Cessna aircraft was carrying out a short flight experience but sadly it did not return."

"Sadly we can now confirm that the two people on board have died," Cronin said. "Formal identification has yet to take place." The plane had departed from North Weald airfield, which is located approximately seven miles west of the crash site.

The Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) dispatched a team of investigators to the scene. An AAIB spokesperson stated, "We sent a multidisciplinary team, so we have investigators that cover engineering, human factors, operations, and engineering support." AAIB investigators continued to gather evidence at the crash site on Wednesday. "We are still on site today making inquiries," an AAIB spokesperson said. The spokesperson added, "At this point it is too early to speculate on the cause of the crash."

Police detectives and forensic teams also worked at the scene overnight alongside the AAIB. Authorities are coordinating with the fire service, the airfield, and Epping Forest district council. Police are interviewing individuals who contacted emergency services and witnessed the incident. Police stated they would remain at the scene to conduct inquiries in the coming days. They also appealed for witnesses or anyone with footage of the incident to contact them via 101 or through an online report.