ALBAWABA- A Cessna Citation C550 private business jet crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport on Thursday morning, killing five of the six people on board.
One passenger survived, though details on their condition have not been released. The identities of the victims remain confidential pending family notification.
The crash occurred around 10:15 a.m., when the aircraft veered off the runway to the right, caught fire, and produced thick black smoke visible from a distance. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane approach “way too low” before impact.
Authorities, including the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed multiple fatalities at the scene. Emergency crews quickly responded, extinguishing the flames and securing the area.
Statesville Regional Airport, a small general aviation facility northwest of Charlotte serving primarily private and corporate flights, temporarily halted operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the Cessna crashed during its landing approach. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with teams examining potential factors such as mechanical failure, pilot error, or weather conditions. No preliminary cause has been disclosed.
This tragedy adds to a series of recent U.S. aviation incidents involving small jets, raising concerns over landing safety at regional airports.
