A small plane that crashed Tuesday night in Litchfield, Maine, left both people on board dead, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The crash also destroyed the Beech C-99 plane, according to preliminary FAA data released Wednesday. The circumstances that led to the crash were unknown.
The Kennebec County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that the crash site "is very large" and will take a few days to secure, affecting the agency's ability to handle non-emergency calls.
"Please keep the families of the two souls lost in your thoughts," read a Facebook post signed by Sheriff Ken Mason.
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The National Transit Safety Board was investigating the crash, sending an investigator to the site less than a mile from Wales Airport in Litchfield to look through the wreckage, NBC affiliate News Center Maine reported. The flight was carrying cargo, according to the agency.
A preliminary report filed by the Federal Aviation Administration indicates the plane was operated by Wiggins Airways, with flight number WIG634. Wiggins Airways is a cargo airline based in Manchester, New Hampshire, that serves the Northeast.
In a news release issued Wednesday, a spokesperson from Wiggins Airways noted that the aircraft was leased by the company and had two crew members on board at the time of the crash.
"We are filled with sorrow at the passing of our flight crew members," Wiggins Airways President Donna Nixon said. "The identities of the pilots will not be released out of respect to their families and friends. Our focus is on supporting their families and our employees through this difficult time.”
The NTSB said at a press conference Wedneday that two pilots were in the aircraft, but the preliminary investigation was not able to determine which pilot was flying at the time of the crash because the plane was being used for training, and flight controls were available to both pilots. There was also no black box on the aircraft, and the pilots were not in contact with air traffic control.
The agency added that the crash was a "high-energy impact," with an angle of about 25 degrees before it hit the ground, causing a wide debris field of 200 yards. No evidence of a fire in-flight or post-crash was found. The investigation is expected to last several months while the NTSB works to interview possible witnesses and look into maintenance records and both pilots.
