A plane has crashed at a North Carolina airport, reportedly leaving multiple people dead.
The plane crashed around 10:15 a.m. Thursday, while landing at the Statesville Regional Airport, according to a statement from airport officials. There were multiple fatalities, but the exact number is still unknown, police told CNN.
It’s unclear how many people were on board the plane, which was a Cessna C550 jet, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The city-owned airport, which is located about 50 miles north of Charlotte, provides “corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams,” according to its website.
The plane crashed at the Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15 a.m. Thursday morning (AP)
Photos from the scene show the plane engulfed in flames near the airport’s runway. The plane took off from the airport before immediately turning back around and attempting to land, WCNC reports.
William Hamby, chief deputy for the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, told The Independent his agency has sent a “Mobile Command Unit to the scene to help with the investigation.”
“The investigation will be conducted by the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the FAA. Our agency was first on scene and reported back the initial information,” he said.
FAA records indicate the plane was owned by GB Aviation Leasing, which is owned by the former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, WCNC reports. Officials have yet to confirm who owned the plane and who was on board.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
