A twin-engine plane crashed and caught fire in the Charlotte region early Thursday, seriously injuring two men and prompting a large emergency response.
The crash happened just before 1 a.m. in a wooded area off Brooklyn Avenue near Springdale Road in Lancaster, South Carolina.
According to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, the aircraft struck trees before coming to rest on a hillside, where it burst into flames.
The two men aboard, believed to be the pilots, were found near the wreckage. Both were conscious but suffered serious burns and were airlifted to hospitals. Their current conditions have not been released.
The aircraft, a twin-engine Beechcraft BE55 owned by North Carolina-based Pressley Aviation, was traveling from Poplarville, Mississippi, to Stanly County Airport in Albemarle. Investigators said the pilot reported engine failure and attempted an emergency landing before the crash.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, while local authorities continue to secure the crash site.
