January 23, 2001 9:32: Two pilots cheated death when their light aircraft crash-landed onto a car park minutes after taking off from Biggin Hill Airport.

The men escaped serious injuries after they missed the runway and lost control of the plane near Rochester Airport, in Kent, on January 16.

Floodlights, parked cars and a fence were damaged when the single-engine plane hit the ground.

Witnesses looked on in astonishment as it happened.

The men were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital but were released soon afterwards with minor injuries.

The aircraft is owned by Britains largest training company, Cabair, which teaches members of the public and gives one-off birthday treats.

Refusing to release the names of the two men, a spokesman for the company admitted the pilots had missed the runway.

But the company refused to say if the incident had happened during a training flight or why they thought it had happened.

The Air Accidents Investigations Branch of the Government Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions confirmed there will be an official investigation into the accident.

A spokesman said the results should be known in about two months.