Fiery crash

Light aircraft smashes into Melbourne shopping centre, killing all on board

Firemen putting out a blaze from a light aircraft which exploded in a ‘massive fireball’ as it smashed into a shopping centre near Melbourne. None of the five people aboard survived the crash. Inset: A video image showing the site of the crash near Essendon Fields airport. — AFP/AP

MELBOURNE: A light aircraft smashed into shops and exploded into a “massive fireball” killing all five on board, including four American passengers reportedly golfers on the trip of a lifetime, officials in Australia said.

The twin-engined Beechcraft plane veered just after take-off into a shopping centre, that was still closed, next to Essendon Fields airport near Melbourne.

“Five on the aircraft and looks like no one has survived the crash,” said Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane.

Premier Daniel Andrews described it as “the worst civil aviation accident that our state has seen for 30 years”.

The private charter from Essendon, north of Melbourne, to King Island, 55 minutes to the south, came down just short of a major motorway packed with the heavy traffic of early morning commuters.

Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings.

A column of thick black smoke rose into the air as witnesses spoke of an explosion.

“The pilot unfortunately attempted to return to Essendon but has crashed into the DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) at Essendon Fields,” Leane told reporters.

The centre was not due to open for another hour and the authorities confirmed no one inside was hurt.

A taxi driver called ABC radio and told of the “massive fireball” and a landing wheel bouncing onto the motorway.

“I saw this plane... when it hit the building there was a massive fireball,” said the man called Jason.

“I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel – it looked like a plane wheel – bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along.”

Victoria Police Superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a “catastrophic engine failure”. The highly experienced 60-yearold Australian pilot made a MayDay call before crashing.

A shop worker called Ash told Sky News he saw “the fireball go up into the air”, adding it “felt like a bomb had gone off ”.

“The fire was just so hot we could not get anywhere near it,” he said.

The US embassy in Canberra said the four passengers were American citizens.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died in today’s tragic crash,” a spokesman said.

Essendon Fields was closed and all traffic diverted to Melbourne’s two larger airports Tullamarine and Avalon.