Plane crashes into Melbourne DFO Shopping Centre

A DASHCAM has captured the moment a light plane crashed and exploded into a fireball at Essendon Airport, killing four golfing tourists and their pilot.

• WHAT WE KNOW:

• A plane crashed into DFO shopping centre killing five people

• Four American golfers heading to King Island, Tasmania, were killed

• Experienced pilot issued mayday and tried to return to the airport

• Catastrophic engine failure likely caused the crash

• Tullamarine and Calder Freeways inbound have reopened

• DFO, Essendon Fields closed and Bulla Rd on-ramp to stay closed

FOUR US golfing tourists and their pilot died when their chartered plane exploded in a fireball after ploughing into the roof of the Essendon ­Direct Factory Outlet on Tuesday.

The Beechcraft B200 King Air clipped the rear of the Spotlight outlet at 9am just metres from the Tullamarine Fwy, killing the five men.

Peak-hour motorists had looked on in horror as the explosion — likened to “an atomic bomb”— erupted when the plane sliced into the roof and then slammed into the loading dock area at the building’s rear.

Fire and Damage to the DFO shopping complex in the aftermath of a plane crash at Essendon Fields. Picture: Channel 7

The plane crash at Essendon Aiport. Picture: Twitter

Pilot Max Quartermain, a seasoned pilot with 30 years of experience, made at least one mayday call and tried to return to Essendon Airport moments before the crash.

Four American golfing buddies Greg DeHaven, Glenn Garland, Russell Munsch and a fourth man were also killed.

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An aircraft wheel lies on the Tullamarine Freeway. AAP Image

Max and Cilla Quartermain run the company that operated the flight.

US authorities were on Tuesday night supporting the men’s wives, who were also holidaying in Melbourne. Catastrophic engine failure appeared the likely cause of the crash — which was Victoria’s worst civil aviation accident in 30 years.

Witness Angelo Tsatas, who was working at a nearby jetski factory, heard the doomed plane’s engine “revving” before watching its final seconds.

“I looked up and saw the plane banking to the left,’’ he said.

“It hit the roof and then exploded — the flames were that high they were above the roof of DFO. Cars were on fire, tyres were exploding.

“The heat was so intense and the smell of jet fuel was so strong.”

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An image from flightaware.com, of registrated aircraft VH-ZCR.

Another witness watched as the plane’s wheel bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi he was travelling in.

The man said he could feel the heat through the taxi’s window.

Air safety watchdog investigators from Canberra and Brisbane will examine the crash site and wreckage.

Radio and radar data, along with the B200 King Air’s maintenance log, will be scrutinised.

The Coroner and Civil Aviation Safety Authority are also conducting investigations.

Australian Corporate Jet Centres is the registered operator of the plane, but had no involvement in the catastrophic flight.

Company owner Sam Iliades told the Herald Sun Mr Quartermain’s company, Corporate and Leisure Aviation, which he ran with wife Cilla, had hired the plane for the next four days.

Mr Iliades said his company had only just become the registered operator and the plane’s owners had kept meticulous records.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators contacted the maintenance company and requested all records in relation to the downed aircraft.

“We haven’t actually been inside the plane yet. But from the outside it looked fantastic and all its records are in perfect order,’’ he said.

“The plane’s owner took great care of it.”

Shocked workers at DFO. AAP Image

.@theheraldsun nasty stuff. I saw a yellow and red fiery ball explode then black plumes of smoke pic.twitter.com/gDTQESftMv

— Mïkey Cahîll (@JoeyLightbulb) February 20, 2017

UPDATE: The DFO at Essendon does not open until 10.00am. However the crash is located in the retail area. #9News pic.twitter.com/U39Aur54Ij

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) February 20, 2017

Premier Daniel Andrews said it was a “desperately sad day” for Victoria.

Investigations needed to run their course before any ­decision about Essendon Airport’s future, amid criticism development on the site had left pilots with too little room for error, he said.

Paramedics assessed 13 bystanders at the scene of the tragedy, but none needed to be taken to hospital.

Essendon Airport remained closed other than for essential emergency services.

Passengers due to travel from the airport were advised to contact their airlines.

Essendon Fields chief executive Chris Cowan said the airport extended its condolences to the families of those “tragically deceased”.

The airport provided full co-operation with emergency services and investigators into the cause of the incident.

The Homemaker Centre where the accident occurred and adjacent DFO complex were shut until further notice.

The Tullamarine and Calder freeways were closed ­inbound for most of Tuesday but later reopened.

The Bulla Rd on-ramp is closed indefinitely

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