Wellington - Two people died when a light plane crashed at a Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Whenuapai, Auckland, on Saturday, news reports said.

Eyewitness Phil O'Kell told TV3 news the plane looked as though it was preparing to land, but then stalled and performed a sharp right hand turn before crashing into the ground.

Reports said the two victims were civilians and the only people in the Cessna plane. There were no casualties on the ground. (dpa)