Travis Buchanan, 35, and Candace Buchanan, 35, were on board the plane with their children, Aubrey, 10, and Walker, 9, when it crashed into a field near Sanford Raleigh Executive Airport in Lee County on Monday, July 7, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
Authorities responded to the scene at 2:03 p.m. local time and found three of the passengers dead at the scene. The fourth person was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed to PEOPLE that an investigator will be arriving at the site of the crash on Tuesday, July 8, to begin documenting the scene and looking over the plane, a Cirrus SR22T, before it is transported for further inspection.
Although not much information is currently available, the NTSB said that the plane crashed into a “heavily wooded area under unknown circumstances” around 1:36 p.m. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while the final report — which will include what caused the crash — could take one to two years to complete.
The family, who own Buchanan Farms in Sanford, left Merrit Island, Fla., just after 11 a.m. on Monday. The aircraft was approaching Raleigh Executive Jetport when the crash occurred, The News & Observer reported.
The plane was registered to the father, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed to the paper.
An employee of Buchanan Farms told local outlet WRAL that the family was heading back from a beach trip at the time of the crash.
For the Sanford community, it’s an unfathomable tragedy.
On Friday, July 4, Buchanan Farms wished its customers a “happy and safe” holiday on Facebook. Following the crash, some people responded with messages of support.
“Praying so hard for this family. Such a tragedy,” wrote one Facebook user. “Sending so much love to your family and friends.
In a separate Facebook post, the children’s school, Grace Christian School, shared the news of the family’s passing with “heavy hearts.” Aubrey was set to enter fifth grade, while Walker was a rising fourth grader, the school said.
“During this incredibly difficult time, we stand together in support of their family and one another,” the school wrote. “We extend our love, prayers and deepest condolences to their family, friends, classmates, teachers and staff.”
