Aerostar Yak 52TW crash not airshow related. (New Zealand)

The Yak 52 aircraft that crashed in Fielding today killing two people is not related to the Tauranga City Airshow this weekend.

The Yak, a fully aerobatic Soviet era trainer crashed at Timona Park, off East Street in residential Fielding, at about 10.45am.

The plane had taken off from the nearby Taonui Aerodrome.

A witness, who lives next to the park, says she saw smoke coming out of the back of the aircraft moments before it crashed.

The aircraft is a privately operated aircraft based in Fielding and Tauranga City Airshow co-director Andrew Gormlie says it was not expected to be participating at the event.

There are eight or nine Yak aircraft expected to put on a flying display at the airshow, with a number of them flying up from New Plymouth.

http://www.sunlive.co.nz