Investigators in Kentucky, probing a weekend plane crash in which 49 people were killed, were today trying to determine why the commuter aircraft used a runway that was too short for take-off.

A commuter jet was on the wrong runway when it crashed just after take-off today and burst into flames, killing 49 people and leaving the lone survivor – a co-pilot – in a critical condition.

Dozens of people died today when a passenger plane crashed into a field after take-off.