The fact that eight people escaped serious injury in a Manitoba plane crash this week has officials praising a higher power.

"In my opinion it was a miracle — a miracle that eight souls walked away from a crash like this," said Thompson public safety director and fire Chief John Maskerine. "That doesn't happen very often."

He also was astounded the wreckage didn't burn.

"To walk into a site like that and see no fire involved at all was totally amazing," Maskerine said.

A twin-engine Piper Navajo Chieftain aircraft, operated by Keystone Air Service and destined for Winnipeg, crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport near Thompson on Tuesday evening.

Keystone Air president Cliff Arlt said the company has learned the plane "may have been fuelled with jet fuel in error, by the aircraft refuellers, rather than Avgas, as would have been required for the Navajo."

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating the exact cause.

According to an incident report from Transport Canada, the pilot had radioed shortly after takeoff about an electrical problem and said he would be returning to Thompson.

"The pilot also advised the Flight Service Station (FSS) they did not require any assistance. Shortly thereafter, KEE208 was not being displayed on radar and the FSS was unable to establish communication with the crew," the report states.

The plane crashed into some trees just short of the runway at about 6:45 p.m.

There were two pilots and six passengers, all provincial employees, aboard the plane.

All passengers were able to exit the aircraft on their own and were transported to the local hospital for examination. The pilots suffered injuries but none is life-threatening, Arlt said.