A couple and their two pet dogs died in a horrific inferno when their plane crashed just moments after taking off on a flight home after a family holiday.

Allison Wheaton, 43, and Randy Strebig, 60, had just left Mason County Airport in the city of Ludington, in the US state of Michigan, on Sunday, 26th November.

But within moments of taking off the couple’s high-performance single-engined Socata TBM 700, banked hard and slammed into a field, bursting into flames.

Police searching the charred wreckage could only declare the couple and their two dogs dead.

The couple met 18 years ago in the city of Lakeland, in the state of Florida, through their work with seaplanes.

Family friends told local media that Alison loved horseriding while Randy was an extreme sports enthusiast who loved skydiving.

In memory of the couple, the International Seaplane Fly-in at Greenville, shared a post on Facebook and said: “They were also known for being kind, compassionate, and charitable individuals who were always willing to jump in at a moment’s notice to get things done.

“This past September, after 17 years together, the couple were married in a surprise ceremony at their own seaplane splash-in hosted in Indiana.

“Randy and Allison will forever be remembered as selfless community members and talented aviators, passionate about every project and cause they took on.

“Blue skies and tailwinds to our dear friends.”

Police are investigating whether snow and low visibility played a part in the crash.