A British man was killed when the light aircraft he was flying crashed and burst into flames shortly after take-off from the Tekah airstrip near Taiping around 12.30pm today.

Taiping deputy police chief Supt Syed Abdul Wahab Abdul Majid said the victim, identified as Michael Robert, suffered severe burns and injuries and died at the scene.

He said Michael was conducting a test flight on the plane, believed to belong to Syarikat Patimas Technology Centre, when the incident happened.

Meanwhile, Taiping Fire and Rescue senior operations officer Mohd Sobri Abdullah said fire and rescue personnel had been stationed at the airstrip since 8.30am on the request of the company and that the plane was at an altitude of 200 metres when it suddenly plunged to the ground and erupted into a ball of fire.

The fire and rescue personnel present provided emergency response but were unable to save the victim, he said, adding that investigations had commenced to determine the cause of the crash.

- Bernama