Ten people killed as plane crashes into house in the Philippines

Ten people have died after a plane crashed into a house in the Philippines.

The small passenger plane carrying five people crashed shortly after take-off north of Manila.

All those on board and four people on the ground were killed instantly, officials in the Philippines said.

The Piper-23 Apache plane took off from the airport in Plaridel town in Bulacan province then crash-landed and smashed into a house, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesman Eric Apolonio and police said.

It is not yet known what caused the crash on Saturday afternoon (local time) he added.

All five Filipinos on board the six-seat plane were killed, and the crash killed five people on the ground, Plaridel police chief Supt Julio Lizardo said.

The crash sparked a fire in a house that was hit by the aircraft, he said.

Two other people on the ground were injured by burning debris, Mr Lizardo said.

TV footage showed parts of the plane wreckage and the shattered walls of the house at the still-smouldering crash site.

Mr Apolonio said the aircraft, which was operated by Lite Air Express, was bound for northern Laoag city.

All the aircraft operated by the transport and courier company were grounded while investigators tried to determine the cause of the crash, he said.