Victims of Friday plane crash in Chatham County identified

The plane crashed at 12:50 p.m. Friday near the airport at 80 Aviation Drive, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

On Sunday, the State Highway Patrol identified the victims as flight instructor McMillan Abernathy and student Justin Strauss.

According to Broadcastify radio traffic, emergency crews found the plane on fire in the woods near the airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the plane that crashed was a Piper PA-28-140, seating two or four people.

The NTSB is investigating this accident in Siler City to find out exactly what happened.

Several plane crashes have occurred in North Carolina in recent months, all involving smaller planes.