A pilot was killed after the small plane they were flying crashed and collided with a tractor-trailer on a North Carolina interstate, authorities have said, writes NBC NEWS.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday they were investigating the crash of a twin-engine Beechcraft Barron that hit a tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 in Lexington, North Carolina.

The plane crashed near the Davidson County Airport and collided with the vehicle on the nearby interstate at around 5:30 p.m. ET, the FAA said.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as Raymond John Ackley, 43, of Charlotte, they said.

The highway patrol said it was still unclear what led to the crash, which caused the tractor-trailer to overturn and veer off the road. The driver of the vehicle was taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, they said.