A small plane crashed after takeoff near Pitt-Greenville Airport on Friday morning, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
The Beechcraft Bonanza had two people on board, neither of whom survived, North Carolina State Highway Patrol Master Trooper Rico Stephens said in a news conference.
It happened near North Memorial Drive and Belvoir Road just after 7:50 a.m., officials said.
Traffic was rerouted from the area through the day as investigators looked into the scene with the help of Greenville police.
An NTSB investigator is expected to arrive in Greenville on Saturday.
The agency prioritizes investigations based on three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment.
The following protocols are part of the NTSB investigation process:
- Flight track data
- Air traffic communications
- A 72-hour pilot review prior to crash
- Gathering witness statements and video from electronic devices
- Weather
A preliminary report will be available within 30 days followed by a description of the probable cause of the crash that will be released in the final report.
The release of that final report is expected in the next year or two.
The regional airport is in eastern North Carolina about an hour and a half east of Raleigh.
