Honduras plane crash: Private jet splits in half in crash landing

A general view shows rescue workers next to the wreckage of a Gulfstream G200 aircraftReuters

At least six Americans were injured when a plane crash landed in Honduras's capital Tegucigalpa on Tuesday morning.

Firefighters take cover from firefighting foam applied onto the wreckage of a Gulfstream G200 aircraft that skidded off the runway during landing at Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa, HondurasReuters

The Gulfstream G200 aircraft was on a private flight from Austin, Texas, when it skidded off the runway and into a ditch at Toncontin International Airport.

Authorities work in the area where an executive jet plane with US registration crashed in Tegucigalpa, HondurasEPA

Authorities have given conflicting accounts of how many were on board the aircraft, some saying six or nine. "Thank God there are no fatalities," one police official said.

Rescue workers recover the luggage from the wreckage of a Gulfstream G200 aircraft that skidded off the runwayReuters

One witness told AFP he helped five men and a woman out of the plane, all of whom were "practically unharmed".

The aircraft went off the runway and collapsed over a busy boulevard while landing at Toncontin International airport in TegucigalpaAFP/Getty

Aviation expert Andrew Charlton told the BBC he believed this particular aircraft to be "back-heavy", with cargo, galley (kitchen) and toilet facilities at the back. "An aircraft is under massive, massive pressure when it lands at speeds of like 200 miles an hour. You design planes to withstand this."

A military person climbs on top of the tail end of the collapsed planeAFP/Getty

He speculated that a strain or microscopic fissure in the metal may have added to pressure on the wheels, leading to the structure tearing.

A crane lifts the wreckage of a Gulfstream G200 aircraft that skidded off the runway during landing at Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa, HondurasReuters

"The people would've been sitting more to the front, and no one being killed is a testament to the wearing of seat belts," he said, adding that there will be a thorough investigation to ensure similar accidents can be prevented in future.

Forensic technicians and police officers from the Honduran National Police inspect the wreckage of a Gulfstream G200 aircraftAFP/Getty

In 2008, a plane of the former airline TACA crashed in nearly the same spot. Five people died in that crash.

An airliner lands at the Toncontin international airport in TegucigalpaAFP/Getty

Surrounded by mountains and with a very short runway, the Toncontin airport is considered one of the world's most treacherous.

People observe a trailer transporting the wreckage of a Gulfstream G200 aircraft that skidded off the runwayReuters

The government is constructing a new international airport about 50km (31 miles) away from the capital.

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