UK: Five dead as business jet crashes into homes

Five people on a business trip to France were killed today after their executive jet plummeted into a quiet village, exploding into a massive fireball.

The plane torpedoed into a house in Farnborough, Kent, which was gutted by the blaze – but the couple living there were away on holiday.

Neighbours described how their normal Sunday afternoon was dramatically interrupted by the plane’s screaming engines over the detached houses.

The twin-engined Cessna Citation I developed severe engine problems and put out a mayday call only shortly after taking off.

Witnesses saw panic on the occupants’ faces as the pilot appeared to make a desperate bid to avoid houses in the cul-de-sac before clipping a building.

Neighbours said it was a “miracle” that no one on the ground was badly injured.

Another house nearby had its garage destroyed and a car was left a charred wreckage.

Dozens of residents gathered outside their homes behind a police cordon blocking off the crash site.

Christine Diamond, who lives next door to the house in Romsey Close where the plane crashed, said the owners Pat and Ed Harman were away on holiday.

Mrs Diamond said that Pat was due back today from Madeira with her daughter while her husband Ed was due to return from a golfing holiday in Portugal tomorrow.

She said: “They are going to be absolutely devastated by this, but I’m just so glad that they weren’t inside at the time.

“I heard a loud bang and saw flames reflecting in the window, I came out of the house and my husband went into Pat and Ed’s house but thankfully they were away.

Neighbours voiced longstanding concerns about planes in the area.

Mrs Diamond continued: “It’s a nice area around here but the only thing we don’t like is being so close to Biggin Hill Airport which has seen big expansion in the past.”

Andrew Walters, chairman of Biggin Hill Airport, confirmed that the passengers were on a business trip to France.

The plane took off from there and was between five or six miles away when the pilot requested to return.

“The plane crashed about two to three miles north of where the airport is.”

He was unable to say what had caused the pilot to return and said the Air Accidents Investigation Branch was investigating.

“They will look at all the evidence from the site and talk to everyone who saw anything.

“All our air traffic control messages are recorded so they will listen to them.”

Mr Walters continued: “We have about 40-50 Cessnas based at the airport and 200 aircraft based here and people know everybody.

“We take great pride in what happens here at the airport. It is a family and we all feel very sad about what has happened.”

Biggin Hill said the plane was being operated by a commercial pilot.

Flowers were left just outside a cordon reading: “With deepest sympathies. Our hearts go out to you and your families. God bless, RIP.”

Arc lights helped fire crews dampen down Number 5 Romsey Close – the property most severely damaged.

Jim Bascan, of the fire brigade, said: “No survivors were found but I can confirm that there were no people found in the houses.”

Resident Gary Lynes, 42, said the crash happened about 300 yards from Darrick Wood Junior School.

He said: “It’s a nightmare. I heard the engines roar, it was really loud and then I heard a massive bang and looked out to see a massive ball of black smoke.”

Nurse Wendy Lyon, 42, said: “Me and my three children were in the house and we heard a bang. I thought someone had slammed the garage door hard because that’s what it sounded like.

“Then my neighbours’ little boy turned up at our front door and he just said ’it’s a plane’. He said he heard a whistling of the plane and then a bang.

“I then shut my children in the house. We couldn’t do anything to help because there was just a big ball of fire. It was just awful.”

Jason Morrell told Sky News: “The plane was that close you could see the panic on their (the occupants’) faces.”

Neighbour John Crane saw the plane flying along Broadwater Gardens tail down and nose up.

He described a “massive big red fireball and two or three explosions, - obviously the fuel tank.

“It sounded like a fighter jet,” he told Sky, with the noise of the engine “screaming”.

It was “either amazing flying by the pilot or a miracle that no one on the ground was hurt”.

Another pilot named as John told Sky News how he heard a mayday call, with emergency alarms in the cockpit.

He said the pilot said he was experiencing “severe engine vibrations”.

Seconds later the pilot said the plane was coming down – but radio went dead and black smoke came up.

The crash site has playing fields, open land, and woods nearby.

London Fire Brigade sent eight fire engines and around 40 firefighters. Two people went to hospital with shock.

A police spokesman said work would begin tomorrow to remove the dead bodies and make sure that “everything’s OK with the scene”.

He continued: “Until that time there’s not much more I can say until we have contacted next of kin.”

Conservative London Mayoral candidate Boris Johnson said his thoughts were with those affected.