WATCH: SA pilot dies in crash during airshow in Zimbabwe

A South African pilot died when his plane crashed during an airshow in Zimbabwe on Tuesday night.

A video of the plane crash shows the aircraft climbing before losing control. The plane then plummets to the ground.

The pilot has been identified as Mark Sampson from the Cape Town-based Marksmen Aerobatic Team.

“It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss that today, the Marksmen Aerobatic Team can confirm that Mark Sampson, outstanding aviator, honoured team member, trusted number-4, and loyal friend, perished in a flying incident in Harare, Zimbabwe,” the aerobatic display team said in a statement.

The team was performing in Zimbabwe while on its way back to Cape Town after flying at the Kenyan Défense Force (KDF) Museum Airshow on Saturday.

“The Marksmen Aerobatic Team is devastated and we are currently working with the Zimbabwean authorities,” the team added in its statement.

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A witness told Zimlive.com: “They were virtually at the end of their display when the tragic accident happened, killing the pilot.”

The crash took place at Charles Prince Airport, around 16 kilometres northwest of Harare.

According to his bio on the Marksmen Areobatic Team website, Sampson started flying at the age of 22 in 1990. He then joined the South African Airforce, where he trained on the Harvard T6 plane before joining the 22 Squadron where he flew helicopters.

Sampson was a pilot for various airlines, including Cathay Pacific, before he retired so he could focus on aerobatic flying.