A small private plane with two people aboard was attempting to take off when it crashed into a UPS freight building and burst into flames near the Roanoke Regional Airport on Tuesday, officials and witnesses said.
One person in the plane got out on his own and rescue crews helped the other out, Roanoke County Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Conley Sexton said. Both were taken to a local hospital. Their status was not immediately available.
The plane was wobbling in high winds while attempting to take off, ran into trouble and clipped utility wires before crashing into the building, according to witnesses reports.
Airport officials said the pilot had called the air traffic control tower for emergency assistance before the crash.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the 1985 Piper PA-46 is registered to Aviation Development Group Inc. of Charlottesville