Both the pilot and the passenger in a small plane that crashed near Greenville, North Carolina, on Friday morning have died, according to the state's highway patrol.
The FAA said there were only two people aboard the plane — a Beechcraft Bonanza — at the time of the crash. The North Carolina Highway Patrol confirmed that the remains of the occupants were found at the scene.
"Sadly, there were no survivors. Investigators are still working to identify the individuals on board the plane. There were no other injuries," the Greenville Police Department said in a social media statement.
The identities of the victims have not been released.
The crash caused road closures near its impact site. North Memorial Drive from Airport Road to Belvoir Road was expected to remain closed until at least 7 p.m. Friday. Drivers have been asked to avoid the area until the road reopens.
Bill Hopper, the executive director of the Pitt-Greenville Airport, said that flights from the airport are still operating, but travelers should plan to arrive early for their flights for the remainder of the day.
The doomed flight left the Pitt-Greenville Airport at 7:46 a.m. and crashed moments after takeoff. It was destined for Vero Beach, Florida.
The plane crashed in the rear of the Consolidated Pipe and Supply Company's property. The company said in a statement to the press that no one at the facility was injured by the crash, according to CBS 17.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
The small plane crash comes just hours after passengers aboard an American Airlines flight en route to Dallas-Fort Worth from Colorado Springs were rushed out of their plane after it caught fire. The flight crew heard “engine vibrations” while the Boeing 737-800 was airborne, forcing an emergency landing in Denver. Moments after it landed and began taxiing, a fire broke out on the plane, and 12 people had to be taken to the hospital
Dramatic videos and pictures posted to social media showed passengers standing on the plane’s wings as the flames began to spread beneath the aircraft. The passengers escaped the plane via inflatable slides.
