Engine failure immediately after takeoff, pilot and passengers killed

The pilot and four passengers from the US were killed on Tuesday when a small passenger plane hit the roof of a shopping center after taking off from a runway near Melbourne, Australia, reports Patria.

The Beechcraft King Air plane hit the shopping center building near the end of the runway due to engine failure.

Witnesses to the unfortunate event told the Australian Associated Press that the plane exploded on impact.

The accident occurred around 9:00 AM, an hour before the center opened, so besides the passengers and the pilot, there were no other victims, reports Reuters.

A spokesperson for Australian air traffic control Airservices said the accident did not affect traffic at Melbourne's main airport.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an investigation into the accident, reported Reuters.