The 61-year-old former Newsnight presenter was met by his wife and two daughters at London's Heathrow airport.

The BBC's Alastair Leithead:"He's not been put off flying"

He told reporters: "I am very lucky to be alive."

Mr Snow and his Tomorrow's World colleagues were filming a report on earthquakes when their seaplane came down in Washington state.

Plane crashed in Washington

The single-engine De Havilland Beaver seaplane clipped the top of trees and crash-landed on Bainbridge Island, 10 miles west of Seattle.

None of those on board with Mr Snow - assistant producer Bronwen Ley, 36, soundman Mark Cardoza, 37, cameraman Mike Garner, 44, and the unnamed American pilot - were seriously injured.

All were treated for cuts and bruises in a Seattle hospital with Miss Ley being kept in overnight for observation.

Peter Snow, who is famous for his election "swingometer", told reporters at Heathrow about the moment the pilot flew lower for some closer shots.

Reunited with wife Ann

"I thought this is a bit tight," he said. "Then we heard a swish of the trees and branches going past and then we came down."

Mr Snow's wife Ann said: "It was amazing, it was only when I saw pictures of the wreckage that it hit me how serious this had been."

The cameraman, Mike Garner, continued to film throughout the crash. He presented the tape to the Tomorrow's World editor, Saul Nasse, who was also at Heathrow to meet the group.

The BBC is awaiting an inquiry from the Federal Aviation Authority before deciding whether to broadcast this tape and another taken by a camera fixed to the wing.

The cause of the crash is now being investigated. The Tomorrow's World team had been filming in the US for several weeks and was scheduled to return to Britian on Sunday.