Came Down Three Miles From CLT

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 1.1.07 12:00 EST: ANN has learned the Sunday morning crash of a Cessna near Charlotte-Douglas International Airport resulted in the deaths of all four aboard. Local media reports say two died immediately as a result of the impact, but provided no details on the other victims.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen told News 14 Carolina Sunday night, "Four people were on board, that's what the flight plan said."

News 14 identified the aircraft as a Cessna 182 (file photo of type above) registered to Jim Chitty of Shelby, NC. Reportedly, the aircraft was enroute from Manteo near the coast to Shelby when it went down under unknown circumstances.

ANN will update the details of this story as they become available.

Original Report

Two people aboard a single-engine Cessna died Sunday morning when the aircraft crashed into a yard, damaging four homes and power lines near Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, according to authorities in North Carolina.

No injuries on the ground were reported. The names of the victims were not immediately released.

The control tower at CLT notified fire officials of a crash at 11:30 am, said Capt. Rob Brisley of the Charlotte Fire Department.

It wasn't clear whether the plane, which crashed about three miles from the airport, was taking off or landing.

Though the cause of the accident hasn't been determined, authorities say the plane came down during a steady drizzle and overcast skies.

Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were expected on the scene Sunday.

FMI:  www.faa.gov, www.charmeck.org/Departments/Airport/Home.htm