A pilot has died after a light aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Kitty Hawk Aerodrome east of Pretoria on Saturday. The plane went down less than five kilometres from the private airfield.

South African Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Sisa Majola confirmed the pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.

“The aircraft itself was substantially damaged,” Majola said. “The site was secured on Saturday and guarded by the South African Police Service and a private security company overnight.”

The cause of the crash is currently unknown. SACAA has launched an investigation into the incident.

Authorities have not released the identity of the deceased pilot pending notification of family members.

The Kitty Hawk Aerodrome, located east of Pretoria, is a privately-owned airfield frequented by recreational pilots and flight training schools.