LONDON: An executive jet crashed onto a car auction centre and burst into flames while trying to land at an airport in southern England on Friday, killing all four people aboard, police said.

Acting Chief Inspector Olga Venner of Hampshire Police said “sadly, there were no survivors.” No one on the ground was hurt.

Blackbushe Airport said in a statement that the Embraer Phenom 300 jet crashed near the end of the runway while trying to land at 3:09pm.

The airport, used by private planes and flying clubs, is about 65 kilometres southwest of London.

A British Car Auctions sales centre is located at the airport. Andrew Thomas, who was at the centre, told the BBC that “the plane nosedived into the cars and exploded on impact.” He said he saw the plane and several cars in flames.

Aerial images showed burned debris lying in a parking lot full of cars.

Venner said police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch have launched a joint investigation into the crash.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2015

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