A dramatic crash-landing at a private airfield this morning has sparked an emergency response, with eyewitnesses describing how bystanders smashed the windows of a private jet to drag passengers to safety. The Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred at around 8:30am at an undisclosed location in the Home Counties.
Sources close to the investigation say the aircraft, a Cessna Citation, veered off the runway during landing and came to rest in a muddy field. The cause of the crash is not yet known, but weather conditions were reportedly poor.
'The plane was on its side, smoke pouring from the engines. People just ran towards it and started smashing the windows with anything they could find,' one witness told reporters at the scene. 'They pulled out three people, including the pilot. It was unbelievable heroism.'
The rapid response of those on the ground has been widely praised, but questions are now being asked about safety protocols at the airfield. A senior aviation source told me: 'The regulator will want to know why the aircraft came off the runway. Was it pilot error? Mechanical failure? Or something else?'
The Department for Transport is being kept informed, but ministers are remaining tight-lipped. A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts are with those affected. The investigation will be thorough.'
This is a developing story. More follows.
