FOUR people died yesterday in a plane crash at a car auction site in England.
The private jet - which was arriving from Italy - crashed during an attempt to land at Blackbushe Airport in Yateley in Hampshire.
The pilot and all three passengers were killed. No-one on the ground was injured.
An eyewitness said the Phenom 300 jet exploded on impact at the British Car Auctions site, which is based at the airfield.
In a statement, Blackbushe Airport said the jet crashed near the end of the runway while attempting to make a landing.
A spokeswoman for Milan Malpensa Airport confirmed the plane had left at 1.30pm.
Footage from above the crash site showed the immediate aftermath of the crash.
A dark plume of black smoke could be seen twisting into the sky, while an orange-red ball of fire raged below.
The fire appeared to be in the middle of a car park, with vehicles lined up for inspection at the auction site based at the airport.
Debris from the jet could be seen strewn among the dozens of severely damaged cars.
Andrew Thomas, who was paying for a car at the time of impact, said the plane "exploded".
"I saw it when it had just happened, and could see the plane and cars in flames," he told BBC Surrey.
"The plane nosedived into the cars and exploded on impact."
Robert Belcher, a local aviation enthusiast, said he was driving home when he saw a plume of black smoke coming from the site.
He said: "I was passing the airport on my way home and there was a big column of smoke in the air.
"The fire service had closed the road behind me.
"I could see the plume of smoke waving from about five miles away and was hoping it was just a car fire rather than an aircraft accident."
Mr Belcher said he was "shocked" when he discovered that a jet had crashed.
He added: "Apparently the aircraft was landing and just didn't stop.
"At the end of the runway there is a car park because the airport is used for car auctions and it's gone into there.
"I assumed it was cars on fire in the auction yard.
"Local people have said that it was this aircraft which is registered in Saudi Arabia.
"It's been a regular visitor to the airport for a few months.
"The aircraft would hold six people, it's a small jet."
