Two men on board a light aircraft transporting a donor organ were injured, one critically, when the plane crashed and caught fire as it landed at Birmingham Airport.

West Midlands Police said the donor organ, reported to be a liver, had been transported to a local hospital despite the wreckage of the Cessna catching fire.

Meanwhile, it also emerged that a pilot from the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance entered the burning jet to cut its fuel supply after the crash at about 3.30 p.m. yesterday.

A spokesman for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) said the accident happened in foggy conditions, making the task of its crew extremely difficult.

He said the pilot of the Cessna, a 58-year-old man, was trapped in the wreckage suffering from multiple injuries, while the other casualty was less seriously hurt.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed that one man was seriously injured in the crash.

The spokesman said: “He was treated at the scene for multiple injuries and airlifted to University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire for further assessment and treatment.

“A second man was treated at the scene for flash burns to his body and a back injury. The man, believed to be in his 30s, was immobilised using a spinal board and neck collar before being conveyed via land ambulance to Heartlands Hospital.”

The incident caused widespread disruption to travellers, halting all flights and prompting gridlock on roads surrounding the airport.

Speaking at Birmingham Airport, a spokesman for West Midlands Police confirmed that the donor organ had been taken to a nearby hospital.

West Midlands Police also advised drivers to avoid the main A45 Birmingham-to-Coventry route near the airport.

A spokesman from Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham said: “The liver was safely transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

“It was clinically and medically assessed and it will be used for a liver transplant shortly.”

Birmingham Airport was to remain closed until at least 6 a.m. this morning following the incident.

A statement from the airport said: “Following an incident at Birmingham Airport on Friday afternoon involving a private Cessna aircraft, the airport remains closed until 0600 Saturday November 20 at the earliest.

“Those due to travel to the airport should contact their airline for further guidance and not come to the airport.”