Flying enthusiasts were in shock after witnessing a helicopter crash into the ground mid-flight.

The flight, which was being piloted by a trained pilot and a female trainee, crash landed at around 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon at the Elstree Aerodrome, off Dagger Lane.

The Robinson 22 helicopter had only been hovering about ten feet above ground before the crash, and both the pilot and the young woman were uninjured in the incident.

Regular flyer and designer Ian Atlas had taken the flight before the incident occurred and contacted the Borehamwood Times about what had happened.

He said: “It was a bit scary actually. I was up in that helicopter just moments earlier and we did some tight turns and things like that, but everything seemed fine. Then after, everyone rushed outside and said there had been a crash.

“It actually crashed directly where it had hovered, where it was only about ten feet up."

Mr Atlas, who had visited the airport with his wife and son, said the aerodrome had cancelled all Saturday flights and was only operating with one helicopter and one photographer, meaning a lot of people were waiting and only one flight was able to take place at a time.

He added: “I think the young lady was very lucky, as if this would have happened at the height that we were both flying at just before this happened there would have been a quite different outcome.”

The reasons behind the crash are currently unknown.

Flying Pig Helicopters, based at the aerodrome, has confirmed that there is currently a full investigation into the incident but declined to comment further on the matter.