fuselage

Multiple eyewitnesses told the BBC the massive wing of the plane first pierced through the roof followed by parts of the fuselage.

The British man who was the sole survivor of Thursday's Air India plane crash said he managed to escape the wreckage through an opening in the fuselage.

The aircraft serves as an early warning and control asset - or spy plane - and is identifiable by the sizeable radar system on its fuselage.

CNN analyst and former FAA inspector David Soucie said the plane had broken apart as it had meant to, with the detachment the wings stopping the fuselage ripping apart.

Video from the crash scene showed firefighters and grounds crews spraying the smoking fuselage of the aircraft.