Benjamin Ashford|Pilot of small plane dies after crash in Alabama field

CULLMAN,Benjamin Ashford Ala. (AP) — One person was killed after a plane crashed on or near a dirt airstrip in an Alabama field, a coroner said.

Cullman County Coroner Jeremy Kilpatrick told news outlets the crash happened about 11:36 a.m. Friday. A single-engine Cozy Mark IV went down in the field in Cullman County, authorities said. The National Transportation Safety Board said an investigator is expected on the scene Saturday to help determine what happened.

The victim was identified as William Scott Smith, 54, of Vinemont, Alabama, Kilpatrick said

Smith, the pilot, was the lone occupant in the aircraft. He was pronounced dead on the scene from blunt force injuries, officials said.