“Emergency services were called to reports the plane,which was conducting a demonstration during an airshow,had lost control and crashed into the tarmac about 5.15pm,” police said.

Avalon Airport immediately halted domestic Jetstar passenger flights after the crash. At 8pm a long line of Jetstar passengers snaked through the airport departure lounge,waiting for updates on the disrupted flights.

Martina Murrihy was on a flight ready to depart for the Gold Coast when the incident happened. She said the Jetstar pilot informed the passengers,many of whom saw the smoke and flames through their windows.

“We weren’t sure to the degree of how bad the incident was,” she said. “It looked bad.” After passengers dispersed,they were re-screened before departure on the delayed flight.

Jetstar has been contacted for comment.

It’s the second incident at Avalon is less than a month. On March 6,a teen boy armed with a gun boarded a plane at Avalon Airport before being overpowered and disarmed by passengers.

He has been charged with terrorism.

“The incident occurred a significant distance away from spectators and there have been no reports of further injuries.

“The exact circumstance surrounding the crash are yet to be determined.”

The six-day airshow event is scheduled to run at the airport,north of Geelong,until March 30.

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