'Multiple' deaths reported after single-engine plane crashes in North Carolina

A North Carolina airport is closed Sunday after a single-engine airplane crashed while trying to land, resulting in the deaths of multiple people, according to officials.

On Saturday at 5:55 p.m. local time, the plane, a Cirrus SR22, crashed near the Wright Brothers National Memorial's First Flight Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board told USA TODAY in an email. The airport is located in Kill Devil Hills on the North Carolina coast, around 90 miles south of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

When it crashed, the plane ended up in the wooded area of the airport, according to the National Park Service. Witnesses said the plane was attempting to land at the airport.

After the crash, a fire caused the plane to burn, and the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department and other local fire departments later extinguished it.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department for more information.

North Carolina plane crash resulted in multiple deaths

"Multiple passenger fatalities have been confirmed," the park service said.

Four people were onboard the plane when it crashed, according to the NTSB. The agency could not comment on the conditions of the passengers.

When will the First Flight Airport reopen?

The airport will remain closed until further notice, according to the National Park Service. Wright Brothers National Memorial will also remain closed on Sunday.

The airport was closed Saturday night after the incident, local news outlet CBS 17 reported.

The NTSB is leading the investigation into the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration was also notified.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ''Multiple' deaths: Small plane crashed near NC First Flight Airport