A small plane has crashed into a Melbourne shopping centre near Melbourne’s Essendon airport. - Polidicks

[t]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5JGeXQW8AIR66I.jpg[/t] [QUOTE]- An aircraft has crashed into the DFO Essendon Fields shopping centre just before 9am. - The plane, a twin engine Beechcraft was headed for King Island. [t]http://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/GJZ5TVpAk84wrTzsQfLQRB/432c5802-cd38-4a5d-b170-617d29d9d156.JPG/r38_0_1115_605_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg[/t] - This aircraft crashed on take-off from Essendon Airport.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]This morning a light plane crashed into the rear of the Homemaker Centre of DFO Essendon. The centre was not open at the time, the centre's management has confirmed. Vicinity Centres has told Patrick Hatch it is working with Essendon Fields and Victorian emergency services who are currently coordinating and managing the immediate response to this incident, and the centre is currently closed. We aren't able to confirm if there any injuries or fatalities at this stage. "The thoughts of all at Vicinity Centres are first and foremost for the safety and welfare of those directly impacted in the incident. We will continue to provide further updates as information becomes available," Source: [URL]http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/4481374/air-crash-at-essendon-dfo/[/URL][/QUOTE] [QUOTE=jamzzster;51851949]BBC reporting 5 dead :( [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39023903[/URL] [editline]21st February 2017[/editline] [QUOTE]"At this stage the advice we have is there are no fatalities other than on the aircraft itself," said the commissioner.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Jeeze thankfully it wasn't open. lets hope the pilot/passengers are ok (but the pictures don't inspire confidence)

7news just confirmed 5 on board. There were some workers inside the building but no word on them.

looks like a king air. doesn't look good at all hopefully they weren't carrying any passengers. [editline]20th February 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=teshok;51851283]7news just confirmed 5 on board. There were some workers inside the building but no word on them.[/QUOTE] oh no. that's awful

i find it confusing how they're not sure whether there's been fatalities or not considering that plane was obliterated

[QUOTE=SonicHitman;51851509]i find it confusing how they're not sure whether there's been fatalities or not considering that plane was obliterated[/QUOTE] Sometimes people get thrown out and survive etc Rare, but it's best not to presume dead straight away

A light aircraft has crashed into the Direct Factory Outlet shopping centre next to Essendon Airport in Melbourne with five people on board. WHAT WE KNOW A light plane with five on board took off from Essendon airport at about 9am on Tuesday. A pilot in his 60s made a mayday call after the plane lost power shortly after take-off. The plane crashed into the rear of the Homemaker Centre of the nearby DFO shopping centre causing a huge fireball. The centre was not open but some workers were believed to be in the building. It is not known how many casualties there are. Vehicles in the carpark were also on fire. It is understood the four passengers were American tourists heading to King Island to play golf. The DFO and Essendon airport have both been closed for the day while roads around the airport have been closed for several hours. Fire crew at the scene where a light plane crashed into the back of a DFO building at Essendon airport. Source: AAP Witnesses said the plane clipped a JB Hi-Fi before exploding in the adjacent Spotlight venue. Source: AAP It is believed four American passengers onboard were travelling to King Island for a golf trip when the plane experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff. The experienced pilot, aged in his 60s, was able to make a mayday call when the plane lost power before the plane nosedived into the rear of the Homemaker Centre. More than 60 firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, while huge plumes of black smoke could be seen coming from the adjacent highway. A car parked out the front of Spotlight was destroyed in the blaze. Source: Twitter DFO building worker Angelo Tsatas was cleaning outside when he heard a plane travelling "way too low" before watching it bank into the DFO building. "I screamed out to the guys 'a plane's gone down'," Mr Tsatas told 7 News Online. "We grabbed some fire extinguishers and ran over... (but) it was too hot by the time we got there. "We tried to get to the cockpit, the flames were too intense, tyres were exploding... two cars were on fire." Spotlight employees comfort each other at the crash scene. Picture: AAP Here's everything we know about this morning's #Essendon plane crash so far: pic.twitter.com/7MzZG8p1gl — The Morning Show (@morningshowon7) February 20, 2017 Witnesses have claimed that the plane had engine problems while taking off, and described huge plumes of smoke coming from the Essendon DFO shopping centre. The accident occured before the shopping centre was due to open at 10am, however it is believed some workers may have been inside. Sean Ashworth, a pilot at Essendon Airport, told 7 News Online that "five tourists were flying to a golfing trip at King Island." “The plane has suffered an engine failure on take-off, the pilot has lost control and crashed into the DFO," he said. Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville has confirmed that five passengers were onboard the plane. 'Wheel went flying across into the right lane' - Paul Edwards who was driving nearby when plane crashed at Essendon. [url]https://t.co/BB5y9dNsBN[/url] — 7 News Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) February 20, 2017 Jason, from Adelaide, told ABC Radio Melbourne: "The plane was [in] coming way, way fast. I thought 'that's faster than normal'. "Then a wheel, it looked like a plane wheel, bounced on the road." Police have said there is some debris on the freeway, with motorists advised to stay away from the area. The Essendon Airport and DFO have been completely closed for the day, however Tullamarine is still operational. "Essendon Airport confirms an incident involving a Beechcraft King Air at approximately 9am this morning. The incident occurred on departure from Runway 17," the airport said in a statement. "Emergency Services have taken control of the situation and Essendon Airport is supporting their response." The DFO said they were unable to confirm whether anyone had died in the crash. "Vicinity Centres is working with Essendon Fields and Victorian emergency services who are currently coordinating and managing the immediate response to this incident, and the centre is currently closed until further notice," the statement read. Told the crashed plane is almost inside JB hi-fi.. Very distressing scenes.. "The fuselage is gone, there is nothing left.." @7NewsMelbourne — Kristy Mayr (@KristyMayr7) February 20, 2017 Pic from Media Chopper. Looks like plane has crashed into the roof of DFO. Fire continues to burn. Fatalities unknown @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/xplJHLde2o — Lisa Gilbert (@lisatgilbert7) February 20, 2017 **BREAKING** Reports that an Air Ambulance King Air has CRASHED near Runway 17 at ESSENDON AIRPORT pic.twitter.com/NzaBWzq8cX — Jimmy Traffic (@JimmyTraffic) February 20, 2017 At this stage we do not have information regarding possible casualties. Police currently evacuating area. Please avoid the area. (2/2) — Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) February 20, 2017 Driving by a possible plane crash at #Essendon Airport and DFO pic.twitter.com/JpSCKbgxHN — Belinda (@pelagonianprncs) February 20, 2017 MFB's Air Operations Unit preparing to launch RPAS (drone) to assist crews on the ground at DFO incident near #Essendon. pic.twitter.com/v2wUD4GLy6 — MFB (@MFB_NEWS) February 20, 2017 More to come.

smh are reporting on five casualties

Is that on the way to the CBD when you take the airport shuttle bus to southern cross station? I've passed that many times. Hope the police find out what went wrong with that plane, sounds terrible

BBC reporting 5 dead :( [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39023903"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39023903[/URL] [editline]21st February 2017[/editline] [QUOTE]"At this stage the advice we have is there are no fatalities other than on the aircraft itself," said the commissioner.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-21/five-passenger-plane-crashes-near-melbournes-essendon-airport/8288964[/url] Four passengers were apparently Americans.

Dashcam of the event. Not excellent quality, and it's very far away, but you can still see the fireball. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVNDv0nuYmk[/media]

Someone is going to jail for improper maintenance. I want to see the Last time the aircraft went through a 100 hour inspection.

[QUOTE=Zephyrs;51857215]Dashcam of the event. Not excellent quality, and it's very far away, but you can still see the fireball. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVNDv0nuYmk[/media][/QUOTE] "bombs away baby, baby" This is up there with the strangest reaction I've ever heard.