Several people are dead after a small private jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Statesville, North Carolina, according to a local sheriff's office official.

The crash happened shortly after 10:15 a.m., Iredell County Chief Deputy Bill Hamby said. The exact number of fatalities is not known at this point, he added.

"A Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina around 10:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, Dec. 18. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.