Pilot killed in Pickens County plane crash

JASPER, Ga. (AP) Authorities say one person is dead after a small airplane crashed in Pickens County.

WXIA-TV reports that the crash occurred Thursday afternoon about a half-mile from the airport in Jasper as the aircraft was returning to the runway shortly after takeoff.

The unidentified pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. Fox 5 TV reports that the victim was a student pilot.

Authorities described the aircraft as a Tomahawk-style single-engine airplane.