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Darla Miles reports.

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A group of friends who shared the love of flying were taking advantage of a pretty day.

Then something went wrong.

Now two men are dead after their small plane crashed in rural Denton County.

Witnesses describe the sound of the crash as someone who threw a wrench in a blender.

This is devastating for the community of retired and professional pilots that live nearby.

The single engine airplane took a nose dive only a few feet away from a farm-to-market road in Denton County. The pilots were trying to land across the field, at Propwash Airport, when it went down.

"I heard on the radio, I was in the hanger, and I came out. And just as I came out I saw the airplane down," said Glenn Patterson.

There are hanger homes at Propwash.

This is where pilots can live next door to their aircraft.

Glenn Patterson was the first run to the scene, when the plane burst into flames. He and others tried to save two men. One witness even tried to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher, but it was no match. Hours earlier, he saw the pilots having a good time.

"There were three guys flying in formation, having a good time this morning here at the airport," Patterson said.

Another witness took a photo of one of the three planes before the crash. The plane has stars on its wings. That's because it's an old Chinese warplane, a Nanchang CJ-6 or it's called a YAK18.

"It's used to train, or was used to train other pilots how to fly, so hence the military markings," said Lonnie Hasche, from Texas Highway Patrol.

It was a hobby. Now this close knit community of aviation lovers, is mourning a loss.

They have not released the names of the victims.

Witnesses say the crash victims were not based here at Propwash Airport - they were flying with a friend who lives here.