MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Officials said three people have died following a single-engine plane crash at Melbourne International Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration reports said the Cirrus SR22 was attempting to land Wednesday evening when it crashed off the end of a runway.

Airport spokeswoman Lori Booker said witnesses who saw the plane nosedive called in the crash.

"We got an eyewitness call that was specific enough that we were able to hone down a specific area in our search," Booker said.

Click here for WESH's video report on the crash

Rescue crews searched the wooded area at the end of the runway for about an hour before they found the wreckage at the southwest part of the airport.

Airport officials said the tail number couldn't immediately be identified.

"We have no identification confirmed at his time. The dissemination of the aircraft upon impact has made it very difficult," Booker said.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating.

NBC station WESH and The Associated Press contributed to this report.