When the aircraft took off at about 8:21, Mr. Shi was taking a taxi home from the Baotou airport. The aircraft was very erratic,“like a staggering drunkard,”said Shi.

A couple of minutes later, when Shi's taxi was passing Nanhai Park, the aircraft was still flying erratically.

“Suddenly the plane disappeared into a mushroom-like cloud. At the center of the cloud there was a glaring fire. Then the fire and the cloud fell into the park,”said Shi.

Ms. Gao was on her way to morning exercise when she saw the air crash.“The plane started to shake when it climbed to the height of sixth floors, as if its wings were dropping. Many people shouted,‘what's wrong with the plane?’The plane then shook for four or five seconds and tried to turn around. But suddenly its tail caught fire with a bang. Then heavy smoke and a foul smell engulfed the area,”said Gao.

The air crash killed 54 people, including 47 passengers, six crew and a ticket seller at Nanhai Park.

The aircraft lost contact with ground control one minute after takeoff, airport authorities said.

At 9 a.m., when a Xinhua journalist arrived at the park, oil on the lake was still burning. The aircraft was in pieces.

More than 400 rescuers had to break the ice to recover the bodies, many of which were burned.

Insiders say 85 percent of air crashes happen within six minutes after takeoff and seven minutes before landing. The 13 minutes is called the most dangerous period of an air trip.

Some 26 passengers had bought insurance from China Life Insurance, said a spokesperson of the Baotou branch of China Life Insurance. Families of every victim who had bought insurance would receive 400,000 yuan (US$50,000) in compensation, said the spokesperson. Enditem