Five people have been killed in a plane crash in Virginia close to Ingalls Field Airport in Bath County, north of Roanoke in the west of the state.
The plane, a Westwind Astra, was a private jet and burst into flames on impact when the crash occurred at around 3pm when the airplane came down short of the runway as it was attempting to make an emergency landing.
The aircraft was not initially set to land at the airport according to WSET.
Of the five people who died, one was the pilot, another was the first officer, and three others were passengers including a child.
Five people have been killed in a plane crash in Virginia close to Ingalls Field Airport in Bath County, north of Roanoke in the west of the state. Pictured, a file photo of Ingalls Field Airport
The incident occurred around 3 pm as the plane came down short of the runway at Ingalls Field Airport in Bath County north of Roanoke (pictured on Google Earth)
One of the passengers was a child aged 5-7 years old reports WSLS. It’s not clear if there were any other survivors onboard.
Local first responders were immediately on the scene including the Bath County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police and the Hot Springs Fire and Rescue.
Virginia State Police is investigating the crash alongside the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).