The investigation into Saturday's plane crash in the Bahamas that killed singer Aaliyah, 22, and eight others widened on Monday as U.S. officials joined efforts to determine what caused the aircraft to go down shortly after takeoff. One witness, pilot Claude Sawyer, 25, told the Associated Press that he was alongside the runway when the plane started to plummet. "It appeared to be a normal takeoff," said Sawyer. "It departed, and (the pilot) rotated the nose (of the plane) and lifted off the ground. After that he pulled his landing gear up and then the plane veered slightly to the left and then it went toward the ground." Sawyer said he watched the plane disappear below the trees and then saw a ball of fire. He could not hear any engine noise. The music star had gone to the destination to shoot a music video, say reports. Superintendent Basil Rahming of the Grand Bahama police department said that six people, including Aaliyah, were killed on impact, while two others died soon after. One critically injured survivor, Anthony Dodd, 34, identified as Aaliyah's bodyguard, was flown to Florida for treatment. In determining the cause of the crash, Rahming has said that one of the Cessna's engines "apparently failed." Even so, two local Bahamian papers on Monday quoted a baggage handler at the airport as saying that the plane was too heavy for a safe takeoff.

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