A SPANISH Air Force jet has crashed near Madrid airbase Torrejon de Ardoz.
The plane crashed during take off from the military airbase at about 11am local time today, Spain's Ministry of Defence said.
Chiefs are currently trying to establish if the pilot of the F18 fighter plane ejected before it hit the ground.
Ministry of defence officials confirmed the pilot has died, however they are yet to be named.
The ministry tweeted: “As a result of the accident, which happened as the plane was taking off, the pilot has died.”
It added in a second message: “The Air Force is investigating the causes of the accident, which at the moment are unknown.”
Firefighters stationed at the air base are leading the emergency response.
Thick plumes of black smoke could be seen coming from the crash scene.
Defence sources told Spanish newspaper ABC the pilot “would have been unable to eject”.
MoD officials confirmed in a tweet: “As a result of the accident, which happened as the plane was taking off, the pilot has died.”
It added in a second message: “The Air Force is investigating the causes of the accident, which at the moment are unknown.”
The new accident comes just five days after a Spanish Air Force Eurofighter crashed near a public park in Albacete south of Madrid as it returned from a military display.
The pilot Borja Aybar, whose wife and young baby were waiting for him at the air base he was preparing to land at nearby, died.
Cristiano Ronaldo was said to keep a Gulfstream G200 he bought at Torrejon de Ardoz so he could visit Moroccan kick boxer friend Badr Hari.
David Beckham also used to fly in and out of the air base, a commercial airport which operates as a joint-use facility between the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Works, when he played for Real Madrid.