Three people killed in Russian plane crash as two training aircraft collide in mid-air

Three people have been killed during a mid-air collision between two aircrafts in training, near St Petersburg in Russia today.

A Piper PA-28 hit a Cessna-150 aircraft that was flying without passengers, according to reports.

Three adults on the Piper were killed, and the pilot of the Cessna was hospitalised after making a miraculous emergency landing with a broken chassis and hull damage.

Reports that a child had survived the horror were not confirmed.

The pilot of the single-engine Piper was identified as 39-year-old Nikolay Ivanov.

Nikolay Ivanov, the pilot, has been identified as one of the dead (VK)

He was just 39 years old (VK)

A woman named Irina, 29, was also killed in the crash.

Details of the third person to have died, have not yet been released.

"A plane crashed on take off near Gostilitsy airport in Lomonosov district.

"There were four casualties, three of them died,” a source from the Russian emergencies ministry said.

The damaged plane can be seen in the snow (Social media)

Three people died in the crash (social media)

Another report added: “The first plane managed to land safely with minor damage."

Wreckage of the Piper was seen in the snow with emergency teams still at the scene.

A criminal probe has been launched by authorities in Russia.