At least five people are dead after a small plane crashed shortly after take-off in Louisiana.

Steven Ensminger Jr, the son of the offensive coordinator for the Louisiana State University (LSU) football team, said his wife, Carley McCord, was on board the flight and died when it crashed. He said the plane was en route to the Peach Bowl playoff game in Atlanta between LSU and Oklahoma.

"I just don't feel like this is real," Ensminger Jr told the Associated Press in an Instagram message. "I'm praying it's not real."

One person on board survived the crash, which happened at 9.22am local time. They were taken to the hospital along with three people who were on the ground.

The eight-passenger plane was taking off from Lafayette Regional Airport, which is around 130 miles from New Orleans, when it got into difficulties, police said.

Weather conditions at the airport were listed as foggy, with visibility of less than a mile.

According to local news reports the eight-passenger plane hit a power line while trying to make an emergency landing.