Just 500 metres or so from Alderney Airport runway lies the burned out wreckage of a Piper PA-32 from which all occupants escaped. (Picture by James Varley, 0830953)

FOUR people escaped – three with minor injuries – after their light aircraft crashed in Alderney and burst into flames.

The Piper PA-32 swayed out of the sky into a farmer’s field just 500 metres from the airport runway shortly after 1pm yesterday.

Marks in the field, which is in the Voueme region of the island, suggested the plane slid more than 150 metres before coming to a halt. The two couples on board managed to escape the wreckage shortly before it caught fire.

It is thought the passengers, who were aged between 40 and 59 and from Shropshire and Wiltshire, were stopping in the island to refuel en route from Jersey to Shoreham.

Witness Tom Neill said he couldn’t believe that the passengers had survived the crash landing.

‘The plane seemed to be swaying to one side while the engine was spluttering. There was then a really big thud and I thought it was going down into the sea.

‘There was a lot of smoke. I didn’t think anyone would get out alive.’