The aircraft was heading towards the airport in Juhu. (Photo: ANI)

Five people were killed and two injured as a chartered plane crashed in an open area in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area on Thursday afternoon.

The dead include two pilots, two aircraft maintenance engineers (AME) on board and one person on ground, director general of civil aviation (DGCA) said.

The four people on board who died in the crash have been identified as Captain PS Rajput, co-pilot Maria Zuberi, assistant maintenance engineer Surbhi and air technician Manish Panday. The identity of the pedestrian who was killed in the crash has not been ascertained.

The two injured are identified as Lavkush Kumar and Naresh Kumar Nishad.

The 12-seater King Air C 90 aircraft (VT- UPZ) went off the radar and lost contact with the ATC just 15 seconds before the crash.

It had informed the ATC that the flight had developed huge technical fault and it had to be grounded immediately. The ATC was informed and it was against the normal flight path.

Such aircrafts and joyride helicopters operate from Juhu airport. The 12-seater aircraft was to land at Juhu airport.

The plane also lost its original landing path and got diverted by over 20 to 30 degrees.

The plane was on the flight path meant for commercial and bigger aircrafts that fly to and from Mumbai airport but the planes flying from Juhu airport that are smaller aircrafts are meant to fly above the film city and nearby areas.

It seems that after losing control of the aircraft, the pilot tried crash landing it at the Mumbai airport which was just a mile away but they couldn't make it and crashed at Ghatkopar.

The pilot saved many lives by sacrificing his own life and because of his brave decision, the plane crashed at the under construction site.

If the plane had crashed in any other nearby area, the casualties would have been in hundreds while the loss could have been in crores.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will conduct a detailed probe into the crash.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has expressed deep shock over the crash.

He has directed concerned officials to rush to the accident spot in Mumbai and provide all possible assistance.

The dead include two pilots, two two aircraft maintenance engineers on board and one person on ground.

The aircraft belongs to UY Aviation, a Mumbai-based company. It was earlier owned by the Uttar Pradesh government and was sold off after it met an accident in Allahabad in the past.

Meanwhile, teams of fire brigade, along with police and ambulances, have been rushed to the spot and rescue operations have been initiated.

The aircraft was flying towards Juhu airport when it crashed near Ghatkopar.

#WATCH: A chartered plane crashes near Jagruti building in Ghatkopar where a construction work was going on. #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/ACyGYymydX ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2018

The Uttar Pradesh government in a statement has clarified that the chartered plane which has crashed was sold to Mumbai's UY Aviation.

"The deal was done after the plane had met with an accident in Allahabad," UP's Principal Secretary (Information) Avnish Awasthi said.

The chartered plane which has crashed (in Mumbai's Ghatkopar) does not belong to UP govt. The state govt had sold it to Mumbai's UY Aviation. The deal was done after the plane had met with an accident in Allahabad: Principal Secretary Information Avnish Awasthi #UttarPradesh ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2018

The plane crashed at Old Malik Estate near the telephone exchange on Jeev Saya Lane in Ghatkopar.

It had a capacity of carrying 12 passengers. It is learnt that a total of four people were on board the ill-fated aircraft, all of whom died in the accident.