A life-saving organ was snatched from a burning plane that crashed and exploded into flames at Birmingham Airport.

A hero air ambulance pilot raced to the scene, climbed aboard the stricken private jet and cut the fuel supply to save a medical container carrying a human liver.

Photos – Fire service at scene of Birmingham plane crash
Photos – Aftermath of Birmingham Airport plane crash

The organ was then rushed by police outriders through thick fog to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham where a patient was standing by for a vital transplant.

Officials revealed today the transplant had been carried out successfully in a four-hour operation last night.

Today, the burnt-out wreckage of the private jet was still on a runway at the airport as investigators continued a painstaking examination of the scene.

The airport was remaining closed until at least this afternoon after the plane from Belfast crash-landed at 3.30pm yesterday, leaving the 58-year-old pilot fighting for his life.

Around 4,000 travellers saw their plans disrupted as more than 40 flights were cancelled and inbound planes diverted, with the chaos set to continue this afternoon as airport staff dealt with the backlog.

The drama happened as the Cessna Citation with two people on board hit antennae as it approached the landing strip and burst into flames. Following the accident, a West Midlands Police motorcyclist faced a race against time to get the liver to the hospital.

A second man in the Cessna, thought to be in his 30s, suffered flash burns to his body and a back injury and was taken by ambulance to Heartlands Hospital.

The pilot was treated by ambulance staff before being airlifted to University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire where his condition was today described as critical.

Eye witnesses reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the Cessna as it came in to land, with one telling how he saw a “big fireball” as it crashed on a landing strip opposite the airport’s fire station.

An airport worker, who gave his name only as Alan, said: “It appeared in a gap between the trees where I just happened to be standing. There was a horrible noise and it burst into flames.

“When I ran over all I could see was the tail and the rest was in flames. I ran towards it, but then I realised it could have exploded. It wasn’t on fire in the air, just as it hit the ground. There was a huge ball of flames when it exploded. The engine was still running so it could have been even worse.”

Dominic Tolley, of Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance said: “Flying conditions were difficult but our skilled pilot did a sterling job.”

Birmingham Airport’s chief executive Paul Kehoe said the plane hit instrument landing system antennae and came to rest 130m to the right hand side of the runway.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch was still investigating today, with flights expected to resume this afternoon.

Inbound flights were diverted to Manchester and East Midlands, with passengers due to use the airport today advised to contact their airline first.