Crocodile on plane kills 19 passengers after stampede

A plane crash in Africa may give new meaning to the term, "snakes on a plane."

A small passenger plane crashed into an empty house after a stampede of passengers tipped the jet into a tailspin in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing all but one of the travelers aboard.

The almost unbelievable news was reported by the news site news.com.au.

According to the report, a passenger had stashed a crocodile in a sports bag (and had intended to sell the animal). The crocodile allegedly escaped, causing a stampede, which put the aircraft off-balance and caused in to fall into a tailspin. The plane then "smashed into an empty house just a few hundred metres from its destination."

"According to the inquiry report and the testimony of the only survivor, the crash happened because of a panic sparked by the escape of a crocodile hidden in a sports bag,” news organisation Jeune Afrique reported, according to the Australian website.

"One of the passengers had hidden the animal, which he planned to sell, in a big sports bag, from which the reptile escaped as the plane began its descent into Bandundu.

"The terrified air hostess hurried towards the cockpit, followed by the passengers."

The plane was then sent off-balance "despite the desperate efforts of the pilot" said the report.

"The crocodile survived the crash before being cut up with a machete."

The jet was a Czech-made Let L-410 Turbolet.