Two men have died when their light plane crashed and burst into flames just after it took off from a country Victorian airport.
The pilot and passenger were killed when the Lancair plane crashed as it was taking off from the Shepparton airport, Ambulance Victoria said.
A local pilot, Keith, who did not give his surname, said the plane burst into flames after it crashed to the ground just after take-off.
"The take-off was normal until it got about 100-foot (30 metres) above the ground," Keith told Fairfax Radio.
"Then it pitched up rapidly, dropped its right wing, turned right angles to runway, crashed through the perimeter fence ... and then caught fire."
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He said the plane was new to the area.
The aircraft crashed shortly before 2.30pm (AEDT) on Friday outside the Shepparton airport near the Goulburn Valley Highway.
Ambulance Victoria's John Mullen said the plane was on fire and was producing heavy black smoke before it crashed.
A Country Fire Authority spokeswoman confirmed that a small grass fire occurred as the plane crashed but it was under control within minutes.
The Goulburn Valley Highway has been closed in both directions.
The men are yet to be formally identified and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
CASA will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
