10 killed as small plane crashlands in Philippines (Lead)

Manila March 17 (IANS) Ten people were killed after a small plane crashed into a house in northern Philippines on Saturday authorities said.

Police said the five people aboard the six-seater twin-engined Piper PA-23 Apache plane were killed along with five other people including three minors inside the house.

So far 10 bodies have been retrieved from the wreckage police officials were quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Witnesses told police that they saw one of the plane s wings hit a 40-feet tall power post before crashing into the house and it exploded moments later.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the plane was chartered to fly to Laoag in Ilocos Norte a province in the northern Philippines main Luzon island when the accident happened at 11.21 a.m.

The CAAP said the plane was operated by Lite Air Express and all aircraft operated by Lite Air Express had been grounded pending the results of its crash investigation.

--IANS
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