A light aircraft crashed into an articulated lorry on a North Carolina highway, killing the plane’s pilot and sparking a small fire, the State Highway Patrol said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the twin-engine Beechcraft Barron crashed into the tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 South, near Davidson County Airport in Lexington, at around 5.35pm local time on Wednesday.
Early reports indicated that the plane had been taking off from the airport when it lost altitude and crashed into the southbound HGV.
The FAA said it would investigate the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board, but provided no additional details.
News outlets reported that the truck driver was taken to hospital in Winston-Salem for treatment to minor injuries, officials said.
Video footage from the scene showed both the lorry and the trailer on their side.
The tail section of the aircraft was seen next to the overturned rig.
Video also showed firefighters spraying water as flames burned the ground next to I-85, with some debris scattered on the road.
