Key facts in Melbourne plane crash

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE MELBOURNE PLANE CRASH:

WHAT HAPPENED

* A small plane carrying a pilot and four passengers crashes into DFO shopping centre shortly after taking off from Essendon airport

* The Beechcraft Super King Air twin-engine aircraft departed from Runway 17 at 8.58am on its way to King Island

* Pilot reported "catastrophic engine failure" before the crash

* The charter plane hired by pilot Max Quartermain's company Corporate and Leisure Travel

* No fatalities at the shopping centre

* Worst plane accident in Victoria in 30 years

WHO WAS ON THE PLANE

* Four US tourists including Greg Reynolds De Haven, Russell Munsch and reportedly Glenn Garland. Identity of fourth American not yet known

* Authorities yet to confirm Quartermain was the pilot

QUOTES

"Dear friends and family, my handsome athletic big brother was killed today in a plane accident while on his 'once in a lifetime' trip to Australia." - Mr De Haven's sister Denelle Wicht's post on Facebook

"We felt just everything shake and a massive explosion and a fireball go up." - Ash Mayer, a storeman at The Good Guys

"I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel - it looked like a plane wheel - bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along." - witness Jason

"It looks like no one has survived the crash." - Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane.

Source: Victoria Police