The pilot of an ultralight plane was killed Monday evening when the aircraft crashed for unknown reasons into a grove of small pine trees in rural Indiana County, state police said.
State police Cpl. Jacob Jesse would not release the pilot's name.
Emergency crews responded just after 8:30 p.m. to the scene off of Church Street in the village of McIntyre, Young Township.
Jesse said he does not know the cause of the crash.
“It's a one-person plane,” Jesse said. “Ultralight plane, just a single-seater.”
The person flying it was the only one on board.
The plane did not have an enclosed cockpit, Jesse said.
“It's a glider with an engine, essentially,” Jesse said. “It looks like a large glider.”
Yellow, blue and red plane apparatus could be seen among a stand of pine trees Monday night.
State police, several fire departments and the Indiana County coroner were on the scene. Lights from emergency vehicles flickered on tree leaves in the dark, wooded area.
Civil Air Patrol will go to the scene and secure the plane, Jesse said.
The Federal Aviation Administration will head to the scene Tuesday and take over as lead investigator, Jesse said.
Rossilynne Skena is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6646 or rskena@tribweb.com.
