A Beechcraft King Air C90 turboprop plane has crashed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar (AFP)

Highlights Plane was about to land at Mumbai airport when it crashed A man was also killed on the ground Ghatkopar The plane was sold by UP government to a Mumbai-based company

Five people were killed after a small plane crashed into a construction site in a thickly populated suburb of Mumbai this afternoon. The plane was about to land at the Mumbai airport when it crashed some distance away in Ghatkopar, killing all four on board - two pilots and two maintenance engineers.

One man was also killed as the plane crashed at a spot that sits next to several high-rise residential buildings.

The plane, a Beechcraft King Air C 90 turboprop, was sold by the Uttar Pradesh government to a Mumbai-based UY aviation company in 2014. "The deal was done after the plane had met with an accident in Allahabad," UP official Avnish Awasthi was quoted as telling ANI.

Former civil aviation minister Praful Patel tweeted that the pilot saved many lives at the cost of her own, by swerving to avoid crashing in a busy area.

Saddened to hear about the unfortunate incident at #ghatkopar as Charter plane crashes in an open area. Salute to the pilot who showed presence of mind to avoid a big mishap, saving many lives at the cost of her own life. #RIP to all the 5 Dead. My deepest condolences. - Praful Patel (@praful_patel) June 28, 2018

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA, the 12-seater plane had taken off from the Juhu airstrip on a test flight.

In visuals on TV and social media, flames and black smoke were seen rising from the wreckage. A large crowd gathered around the debris, many carrying umbrellas in the rain, as firemen sifted through the debris.

"There was a huge explosion and the adjacent tree caught fire and the fire spilled on the streets," a man told NDTV.

The plane crashed through the boundary wall of the under construction residential complex and burst into flames leaving a strong smell of aviation fuel all over the area. Aircraft parts like the engines, propellers and landing gear were completely burnt even before the fire brigade could reach the spot.

"Initially we assumed an electric box in the under construction building must have caught fire but when we checked out the spot, we found the charred body of a man who apparently was on bike when the plane crashed," he added.

Firefighters at the site of the plane crash in Mumbai's Ghatkopar

It took over an hour to put out the fire. The black box of the aircraft has been recovered and the DGCA has already started a preliminary probe into what caused the crash. Teams from the DGCA and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting or ARFF have already begun collecting evidence from the crash site.

"There was a loud bang and then we saw the plane," said a teenager who lives in the neighbourhood.

A resident of an apartment complex, Patel Niwas, added: "We are used to planes flying overhead. We thought there was an explosion at the construction site. Only later we realized that a plane had crashed."

Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and around the world on NDTV.com. Catch all the Live TV action on NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for latest news and live news updates.</s>Image copyright AFP Image caption Four people aboard the flight and one person on the ground were killed, officials say

A chartered plane has crashed in India's financial capital Mumbai, killing at least five people, officials have confirmed.

It crashed into a building that was under construction in Ghatkopar, a residential area in eastern Mumbai.

Fire officials told BBC Marathi that the dead included four people on the flight and one person on the ground.

Initial reports say the plane crashed while the pilot was attempting to land. It burst into flames immediately after.

"I was riding my bike when I saw the plane go down," Prathamesh Lokhande, an eyewitness, told BBC Marathi's Janhavee Moole. "I rushed to the spot and helped the fire officials recover the bodies and send them to the hospital."

Suresh Prabhu, India's aviation minister, tweeted his condolences and said that there would be an official inquiry into the crash.

The plane used to be owned by the government of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and had been sold to private operator UY Aviation, a senior police official told the BBC.

Image copyright Kunal Kotak Image caption The plane burst into flames immediately after crashing

Image copyright Kunal Kotak Image caption It left a trail of fire in a residential area</s>A chartered plane has crashed in India's financial capital Mumbai, killing at least five people, officials have confirmed.

It crashed into a building that was under construction in Ghatkopar, a residential area in eastern Mumbai.

Fire officials told BBC Marathi that the dead included four people on the flight and one person on the ground.

Initial reports say the plane crashed while the pilot was attempting to land. It burst into flames immediately after.

The plane was sold to a private individual by the government of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, a senior police official told the BBC.</s>Five persons, including a passerby, were killed when a chartered aircraft crashed at a construction site in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. The crash took place near Sarvodaya Hospital. There were four people in the aircraft — two pilots and two aircraft maintenance engineers. All four have been killed in the crash and their bodies have been taken to Rajawadi Hospital. Two other people, who suffered injuries, have been rushed to the hospital. Click here for photos of the Mumbai chartered plane crash

A senior DGCA official said: “UY Aviation Pvt Ltd King Air C-90 aircraft VT-UPZ has met with an accident at Mumbai. Operator bought this aircraft from the Uttar Pradesh government. The aircraft took off from Juhu airport for a test flight. There were two pilots and two Aviation Maintenance Engineers on board. All on board aircraft along with one person on the ground are dead. Those on board were board were Capt PS Rajput, Co pilot Maria Zuberi, AME Surbhi and aircraft technician Manish Pandey. The accident site is Ghatkopar, Mumbai. A DGCA team is on its way for a preliminary investigation. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will do a detailed investigation.” Click here for more details about the chartered aircraft that crashed in Ghatkopar today

Speaking to reporters, Prapti Pednekar, a resident in the area, had said: “there is a lot of smoke and no clarity on how many people are inside. The passerby who died when the aircraft crashed was taken away in an ambulance.” Another eyewitness said he heard two loud crashes and then saw a huge ball of fire. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been pressed into service.

A senior police official said,” As this was an under construction site, we are still trying to find trapped victims. Also, the search for the black box is on.”

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu expressed deep shock over the crash the aircraft in Mumbai. “The minister has directed the concerned officials to rush to the accident spot in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai and provide all possible help and assistance. DGCA has been asked to conduct an investigation into the plane crash,” a Civil Aviation ministry spokesperson said

For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App</s>MUMBAI: Five people died after a King Air C90 charter aircraft crashed in Ghatkopar, the congested central suburbs of Mumbai, on Thursday afternoon.All occupants on board, which included two pilots -- Capt P S Rajput and Capt Maria -- and two aircraft maintenance engineers along with one person on ground are dead.The 12-seater aircraft (VT-UPZ), which took off from Juhu airport crashed in the compound wall of an under-construction building called Jagruti around 1.10 pm, said a source. The fire from the burning wreckage was brought under control by 1.40 pm, said a fire brigade personnel.The aircraft belonged to Mumbai-based company, U Y Aviation Pvt Ltd and is owned by gutkha baron Dipak Kothari," said an aviation source. "It's an old aircraft which earlier belonged to the UP government and was purchased by this company two years ago," the source added.The aircraft was less than three km from Mumbai airport main runway 27 when it crashed.Main runway 09/27 of the Mumbai airport has been closed and flight operations moved to the secondary runway. The crash site falls in the approach path of main runway. Smoke from the wreckage would have led the air traffic control to move flights to the secondary runway.The Mumbai Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) team is at the spot for preliminary investigation. Detailed investigation will be carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.</s>A chartered plane belonging to a state government has crashed in a busy district of Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment capital, police said.

A chartered plane belonging to a state government has crashed in a busy district of Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment capital, police said.

It was not immediately known how many people were on board the aircraft or if there were casualties.

The crash happened in the busy Ghatkopar area of Mumbai.

Television images showed parts of the wreckage burning on the ground.</s>A small plane crashed into a construction site in a densely populated part of India’s financial capital Mumbai yesterday, killing five people including one on the ground, officials said.

Images broadcast on Indian news channels showed flames and smoke billowing from the area, which sits next to several high-rise residential towers.

There were four people on the 12-seater aircraft, disaster management officials said, with witnesses reporting hearing a loud blast as it smashed into a half-built structure.

“There was a huge explosion and the adjacent tree caught fire and the fire spilled on the streets,” a man was quoted as saying on the NDTV news channel.

The white tailfin seemed to be the only recognizable part of the aircraft not consumed in the blaze.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the plane had been on a test flight from the nearby Juhu airstrip.

“There were two pilots and two aircraft maintenance engineers on board. All on board (the) aircraft along with one person on ground are dead,” the DGCA statement read.

A medical officer at Rajawadi hospital, where the victims were taken, said the dead included three men and two women.

“There bodies were completely charred due to the fire,” she told reporters, adding that two injured had also been admitted and were in a stable condition.

It was not raining at the time of the accident and weather did not appear to have been a factor in the crash.

DGCA said it was sending a team to investigate the cause, adding that the aircraft was owned by a private operator who had purchased it from the Uttar Pradesh state government.

P. Rahangdale, Mumbai’s chief fire officer, said several fire engines had rushed to the spot.

India’s National Disaster Response Force said it was also sending a team to make sure there were no injured trapped under rubble at the crash site.

Former Indian Aviation Minister Praful Patel tweeted his condolences and praised the pilot for guiding the plane into an open area.

“Salute to the pilot who showed presence of mind to avoid a big mishap, saving many lives at the cost of her own life,” he wrote.

There have been several crashes involving small planes in India in recent years.

In 2015 a light aircraft belonging to India’s paramilitary border force crashed after taking off from New Delhi airport, killing 10 people on board.</s>(MUMBAI, India) — A chartered plane crashed Thursday in a busy area of Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital, police said. News reports said five people were feared dead.

Police said it was not immediately known how many people were on board the aircraft. It crashed near a multistory building under construction, they said.

India Today television said the plane crashed in the Ghatkopar area as it was preparing to land in Mumbai. It said a pilot, three passengers and one person on the ground were feared dead.

Television images showed parts of the wreckage burning on the ground. Police and fire engines were at the crash site.</s>MUMBAI: A small plane crashed into a construction site in a densely populated area of India's financial capital Mumbai on Thursday (Jun 28), killing five people including one on the ground, officials said.

"Five people have succumbed to their injuries after the chartered plane crashed, including one pilot, three co-passengers and a pedestrian," Mumbai police spokesman Deepak Deoraj told AFP.

There were four people on the 12-seater aircraft when it crashed shortly into the construction site shortly after 1.30pm (4pm Singapore time), said Mumbai disaster management spokesman Tanaji Kamble.

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the plane was a turbo-prop King Air C-90.

It crashed while conducting a test flight from the nearby Juhu airstrip, DGCA said in a statement.

"There were two pilots and two aircraft maintenance engineers on board. All onboard (the) aircraft along with one person on ground are dead," the statement read.

Images broadcast on Indian news channels showed flames and black smoke billowing from the area which sits right next to several high-rise residential towers.

One video clip circulating on social media - which could not be independently verified - shows a body in flames on the pavement.

It was not raining at the time of the accident and weather did not appear to be a factor in the crash.

DGCA said it was sending a team to investigate the cause, adding that the aircraft was owned by a private operator who had purchased it from the Uttar Pradesh state government.

"Police teams have reached the venue and are conducting (a) probe," a Mumbai police official said in a statement sent on WhatsApp.

P Rahangdale, Mumbai's chief fire officer, said several fire engines had been rushed to the spot.

"Our teams have extinguished the fire and are conducting rescue operations," he told AFP.</s>A small airplane crashed in a suburb of India’s financial capital Mumbai on Thursday, killing all four people on board and another person on the ground, police and aviation officials said.

The King Air C-90 aircraft was on a test flight with two pilots and two engineers on board, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement.

Police said the plane crashed as it was landing and burst into flames. A pedestrian on the ground was killed.

Authorities said the incident was under investigation and the cause was not immediately known.
A light aircraft crashes in the Ghatkopar district of Mumbai, India, killing all four occupants and one person on the ground.