87-year-old pilot dies after small plane crashes, police say

SEBASTIAN, Fla. — An 87-year-old man piloting a small plane was killed on Friday after the aircraft crashed, authorities said.

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According to the Sebastian Police Department, the man, who was flying a single-engine Piper PA-32-260 plane, appeared to stall ahead of an attempted landing at Sebastian Municipal Airport at about 2:35 p.m. EDT, TCPalm.com reported.

The pilot was taken to Sebastian River Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to WPTV.

The pilot was the sole occupant of the plane, WPEC-TV reported.

The man has not been identified by authorities, according to the television station.

“I believe it was on the approach to one of the runways on airport property,” Indian River County Fire Rescue Bureau Chief Bill Herrington told TCPalm.com. “Right now it is pending investigation and direction from the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board).”

Herrington told the news outlet that the plane did not catch fire. He said it was unclear what precisely caused the crash.