This is the harrowing moment a disabled pilot on a round-the-world flight crashed and died in his light aircraft.

South African Michael Lomberg, 60, had set off from Geneva, Switzerland, last November and had made stops along the way including Bangladesh and Myanmar.

He reached northern Thailand last month and on Sunday (December 30) he had taken off from Chiang Rai before approaching Chonburi on the eastern seaboard 600 miles away.

But as he approached the runway at Bang Phra airport the aircraft with hand controls appeared to clip a power line before suddenly veering left.

The plane plunged into the ground and burst into flames.

Shocked locals rushed to the scene but were unable to free Michael from the wreckage. He perished in the fire.

Devasted friends and family paid tribute to the pilot, who had been left disabled after a car crash 28 years ago.

Disability group ''Handiflight Around The World'' which had organised the flight said in a statement that ''Michael's life was filled with unbelievable challenges''.

Police are now investigating what caused the crash but the probe has been hampered because no black box was used on the plane.

Colonel Ruangsak Buadaeng, chief of Si Racha police station, said: ''We have checked the scene and interviewed the other pilots in the group to collect all the evidence.

''The remains of the plane have been recovered and moved to a storeroom at the airport. We do not know the cause of the crash.''

This is the harrowing moment a disabled pilot on a round-the-world flight crashed and died in his light aircraft.

South African Michael Lomberg, 60, had set off from Geneva, Switzerland, last November and had made stops along the way including Bangladesh and Mayanmar.

He reached northern Thailand last month and and on Sunday (30/12) had taken off from Chiang Rai before approaching Chonburi on the eastern seaboard 600 miles away.

But as he approached the runway at Bang Phra airport, the Flight Design CT turboprop ultra-light aircraft with hand controls appeared to clip a power line before suddenly veering left.

The plane plunged into the ground and burst into flames. Shocked locals rushed to the scene but were unable to free Michael from the wreckage. He perished in the fire.

Devasted friends and family paid tribute to the pilot, who had been left disabled after a car crash 28 years ago.

Disability group 'Handiflight Around The World' which had organised the flight said in a statement that Michael's ''life was filled with unbelievable challenges''.

Police are now investigating what caused the crash but the probe has been hampered because no black box was used on the plane.

Colonel Ruangsak Buadaeng, chief of Si Racha police station, said: ''We have checked the scene and interviewed the other pilots in the group to collect all the evidence.

''The remains of the plane have been recovered and moved to a store room at the airport. We do not know the cause of the crash.''