Cargo Plane: U.P.S. Aircraft Crashes in Field in Birmingham, 2 Believed Dead

A United Parcel Service cargo plane crashed while landing at Birmingham, Ala., airport on Wednesday. It is believed two are dead.

U.P.S. Flight 1354 was flying from Louisville, Ky., to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport when it crashed at around 6 a.m., Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration said according to the New York Times. It is not clear if there were fatalities but these planes typically carry a pilot and a co-pilot. Both are believed to be dead, some sources are reporting.

The plane in the accident was an Airbus A300. The wide-body aircraft is mostly used by air cargo companies for medium-range flights. It crashed about half a mile from the runway. The plane burst into smoke and flames after the crash.

Local television station, Alabama 13 took to Twitter to give updates about the incident. "BREAKING NEWS! A UPS cargo plane crashes near the B'ham airport. Plane burning after 2 explosions. TURN ON TODAY IN ALABAMA FOR THE LATEST," the station said. "DEVELOPING: Reported UPS cargo plane crashes in field near airport in Birmingham, Alabama."

Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board will assess the damage at the crash site and will try to determine what caused the accident.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board are heading to the crash site and will seek to determine a cause for the accident, Ms. Bergen said.

Toni Bast, a spokeswoman for Birmingham's airport authority, said the plane crashed outside of the airport, so no other flights were affected by the crash.

U.P.S. released a statement about the incident, saying "UPS has been notified of an aircraft incident involving Flight 1354, an Airbus A300 flying from Louisville, KY to Birmingham, AL.

At this time, we are still determining the details of the incident. We will release more information as it becomes available. As we work through this difficult situation, we ask for your patience, and that you keep those involved in your thoughts and prayers."