It prompted a significant emergency response and resulted in several flights being cancelled. The crash occurred in Southend-on-Sea, about 35 miles east of London.
Essex Police said they were alerted shortly before 4 pm (BST) after a report of a 12-metre general aviation plane on fire at the airport location.
No information was available on the number of people aboard or their condition, authorities said. Authorities are asking the public to stay away from the area as emergency procedures persist.
Alert Emergencies Quickly rush to the Location
Four response vehicles were sent to the crash site by the East of England Ambulance Service. That entailed a fast response car, a hazardous area response team, and a senior paramedic to support the incident.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service was quick to respond deploying teams from Southend (two), Rayleigh Weir, and Basildon (two). They also dispatched off-road vehicles from Billericay and Chelmsford to deal with the situation.
An airport spokesperson confirmed the crash was a general aviation aircraft. 'Newcastle International Airport is cooperating with local partners and will provide further updates when we have more information available.
Flights Canceled and Local Leaders Express Concern
The crash forced the cancellation of at least four flights that had been scheduled to take off Sunday afternoon, according to the airport's website. Pictures and videos verified by social media showed a large fireball over the airport in the immediate aftermath of the crash.
Local representatives were also quick to react to the tragic incident.Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, David Burton-Sampson, said his thoughts were with all those involved, after the crash. Southend City Council's cabinet member for business, culture, music and tourism, Matt Dent, voiced his support too.
A series of images and a video purported to show the immediate aftermath, as other vehicles on the busy motorway swerved to avoid the crash site. "My thoughts are with all those involved in the serious road traffic accident," Hopkins said.
The emergency is expected to drag on for several hours as authorities investigate.
