STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A business jet crashed Thursday at a regional airport in North Carolina, known for serving NASCAR teams and Fortune 500 companies, erupting in large flames and resulting in multiple fatalities, authorities reported.
'I can confirm there were fatalities,' Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell stated, while withholding the number of casualties.
The aircraft involved was a Cessna C550 that crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport shortly after 10 a.m., approximately 45 miles north of Charlotte, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to airport director John Ferguson, the crash occurred at the runway's end, and he mentioned, 'The airport is now closed until further notice. It will take some time to clear the debris from the runway.'
Investigations are being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, while AccuWeather noted that the weather conditions included light drizzle and cloud cover at the time of the crash.
Footage from WSOC-TV depicted first responders swiftly heading onto the runway as flames engulfed debris from the wreckage. The airport’s online information highlights its capacity to handle corporate aviation for Fortune 500 companies and various NASCAR teams.
This report also corrects the sheriff’s first name to Darren, not Grant.
'I can confirm there were fatalities,' Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell stated, while withholding the number of casualties.
The aircraft involved was a Cessna C550 that crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport shortly after 10 a.m., approximately 45 miles north of Charlotte, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to airport director John Ferguson, the crash occurred at the runway's end, and he mentioned, 'The airport is now closed until further notice. It will take some time to clear the debris from the runway.'
Investigations are being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, while AccuWeather noted that the weather conditions included light drizzle and cloud cover at the time of the crash.
Footage from WSOC-TV depicted first responders swiftly heading onto the runway as flames engulfed debris from the wreckage. The airport’s online information highlights its capacity to handle corporate aviation for Fortune 500 companies and various NASCAR teams.
This report also corrects the sheriff’s first name to Darren, not Grant.
