Authorities say that five people have died after a small plane crashed at an airport in North Carolina, while trying to land.

Macon County airport manager Neil Hoppe said the medical examiner confirmed that five individuals were killed as a result of the Thursday's crash. The identities of the victims have not been released, reported the Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Cessna Citation aircraft had left Venice Municipal Airport in Florida around 11 a.m., reported the AP. As it approached the North Carolina airport to land, there appeared to be technical problems with the plane.

When the plane touched down, the nose wheel, not the main gear, touched first. The aircraft appeared to bounce and the pilot made an attempt for a second landing. The plane veered off to the right and the right wing-tip hit the ground, reported the AP. This caused the plane to flip and erupt into the flames.

It was an intense blaze, Hoppe said.

Two workers reportedly witnessed the crash. As one of them rushed to the crash site, the flames grew more intense, preventing the worker from getting close enough to rescue any of the victims.

The Macon County airport remained closed pending further investigation by the North Carolina Highway Patrol, reported WTSP. Investigators said that the debris from the fiery wreck spanned across part of the 5,000-foot runway.

The exact cause of the crash is not known. Hoppe said that the weather at the time of the incident was mostly clear and there was no wind during the crash.

Florida Federal Aviation Administration Florida Federal Aviation Administration