A person aboard a small private jet that crashed in North Carolina on Thursday texted "emergency landing" to a family member before the plane went down.

"The initial point of impact was a runway light stanchion located about 1,800 feet from the runway threshold," said Senior Air Safety Investigator Dan Baker. "The airplane subsequently impacted trees, two other runway light stanchions and the airport perimeter fence short of the runway threshold before coming to rest near the runway threshold."

Seven people have died after a small private jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Statesville, North Carolina, the North Carolina State Highway patrol said. Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina,