NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Investigators are looking for the cause of a fiery cargo jet crash. An Emery Worldwide DC-8 plunged into an auto salvage yard in California, last night, killing all three people aboard. For more, here's CNN's Denise Dillon.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A big, huge ball of flame in the air, gigantic. Like I said, an enormous mushroom cloud and a ball of fire, a couple hundred -- a few hundred feet high and a couple hundred feet across.</s>DILLON: As firefighters tried to contain the blaze, parts of the aircraft could be seen scattered throughout the area. There were three crew members on board. A fire official says there was no chance of rescue. All three were dead before fire crews arrived. The plane belongs to Emery Worldwide Transport Service. It took off from Mather Air Field, bound for the company's hub in Dayton, Ohio. Shortly after take-off, the pilot radioed back that he was having trouble and circled back to attempt an emergency landing.</s>CAPT. DAN HAVERTY, AMERICAN RIVER FIRE DEPT.: Our dispatch tonight had a report of a trouble on an aircraft. That information came from the FAA. It was reported that cargo was unsettled on the aircraft, it was having difficulty.</s>DILLON: Safety experts say, if the cargo shifted, it would have affected the center of gravity, which is critical to maintain controlled flight.</s>MICHAEL BARR, AVIATION SAFETY EXPERT: If that center of gravity (OFF-MIKE) load had shifted aft, then the aircraft would actually get to a point where it's not controllable once it gets up in the air.</s>DILLON: The plane did not make it back to the airfield. It crashed less than a mile away from the runway. NTSB and FAA officials are investigating the cause of the crash. There are no reports of injuries on the ground. Denise Dillon, CNN.
Investigators Look for Cause of Fiery Cargo Jet Crash in California