Six people were on board a small plane that crashed while landing at the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina on Thursday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the Cessna C550 crash was fatal, but it was not immediately clear how many on board were killed.

The cause is not known, said John Ferguson, manager of the airport in Statesville, about 50 miles north of Charlotte.

The airport is closed for further notice, Ferguson said, noting that it will take time to get the debris off the runway. The FAA and NTSB are investigating.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.