A FATHER and daughter from Winkleigh have been named as two of the people who were killed when a light aircraft crashed near Honiton on Sunday evening.
Richard Smith, 42, and his daughter, Claire, 17, died in the accident which occurred when the Cessna 206 nose-dived into a field as it was returning to Dunkeswell Airfield at around 6pm.
The 52-year-old pilot, Paul Norman from Salisbury, and Royal Marines officer Major Mike Wills, 44, from Tiverton, also died, and two other passengers, a 23-year-old man from Somerset and a 16-year-old from Kingsteignton, remain in a critical condition.
The passengers had been returning from a parachute jump when the tragedy occurred. Police said eye witnesses heard the aircraft experiencing engine difficulties as it disappeared over trees at Luppitt Common, then reported hearing a crash.
The wreckage of the aircraft was taken away on Tuesday for examination after an investigation at the scene by the Air Accident Investigation Branch.
Winkleigh resident Frances Reynolds said she had known Richard Smith for just over 18 years and Claire her whole life: ?My son, Ashley, and Richard did their first parachute jump together for charity. After that Richard took it up as an interest and his enthusiasm rubbed off on Claire.
?They were brilliant people and just recently I caught up with Claire again ? she was a great girl and it is just so terrible that this has happened.?
The father-of-three was a welder/fabricator at Chris Hodgeson Construction in Hollacombe, and Claire, a former pupil of Winkleigh Primary School and Great Torrington College, worked at a firm in Winkleigh.
Ray Squire shared a love of bikes with Richard and said he was ?a good mate?: ?Richard would do anything for anyone ? if anyone was in trouble he would help.
?He was well liked and well respected, as was Claire, and the whole village is in shock ? we just cannot believe it.?
Mr Squire said parachuting was Richard?s life and he jumped virtually every week.
?Claire was just as keen on it and they died doing what they loved best,? he said.
The Rev Peter Norman, vicar of Winkleigh, said Richard was ?a very friendly person? and had helped out the church when repairs were needed to the bells.