Plane fills with smoke, catches fire, pilot jumps

GEORGETOWN, Del. (WTXF) - An investigation is underway after a plane caught fire shortly after taking off from a Delaware airport. The pilot ended up jumping out while it was still moving.

Delaware State Police say Donald Byrne took off from the Sussex County Airport in Georgetown.

Then, at 2:07pm, he reached about 1400 feet in his single engine plane when the "cockpit began to fill with smoke. Byrne was able to bring the plane back to the airport, where just prior to landing, fire became visible in the cockpit. Upon landing, Byrne jumped from the plane while it was still in motion. The plane came to rest in a grassy area a short distance away and became fully engulfed in flames."

The 59-year-old from Lusby, Maryland, was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

The Federal Aviation Administration and Delaware State Police are investigating.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.