After crashing, the plane went down a steep, wooded hill and emergency crews were trying to reach the crash site from above and below, airport spokesman Mike Plante said.
"It's difficult terrain to negotiate," Plante said. The Air Cargo Carriers plane had flown from Louisville, Kentucky, and arrived at the West Virginia airport at 5:43 am, Plante said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
Charleston airport officials have proposed spending USD 290 million to rebuild and extend the airport runway after a landslide in 2015 took out a church and an unoccupied house.