STATESVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — Several people are dead after a small private jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Statesville, North Carolina, according to a local sheriff’s office official.
The crash happened shortly after 10:15 a.m., Iredell County Chief Deputy Bill Hamby said. The exact number of fatalities is not known at this point, he added.
“A Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina around 10:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, Dec. 18. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
An airport spokesperson told ABC that the plane crashed as it was trying to return to the runway.
Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, is an uncontrolled airport with no control tower. Pilots are required to self-report their position on and near the airport using a common radio frequency.
Low clouds, light rain, and visibility of less than three miles were reported about 80 minutes after the crash, according to an automated weather station at the airport. It is not clear if these conditions were present when the plane crashed.
The agency’s records show this plane is owned by GB Aviation Leasing, a limited liability company based in NC. North Carolina government business records show that former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle is the manager of the company.
It is unknown whether Biffle was on board, how many passengers were on the plane, or their conditions.
“The Statesville Regional Airport provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams,” according to the city website
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN contributed to this report.
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