Gold Hill, NC-- A pilot has died after his single-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff from an airstrip in southern Rowan County.

Officials say the crash occurred in some woods about a mile from the Gold Hill Airpark about 35 miles northeast of Charlotte.
The pilot's name has not been released, but officials say he lived nearby.

The man killed was identified as 64 year-old Dieter Floeth of Gold Hill.

The aircraft was headed to Lancaster, Pa. Rowan County authorities say a motorist called 911 and said he saw a plane crash around 4 a.m. Monday. The wreckage was found about two hours later.

Emergency Services Director Frank Thomason says no one else was on the four-seat Socata Trinidad aircraft. The weather at the time of the takeoff was cloudy and foggy across Rowan County.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.