Small plane crashes after takeoff; pilot believed killed

WADSWORTH, Ohio (AP) — A small plane crashed into a pond shortly after taking off Friday from a small airport in northeastern Ohio, and authorities believe the pilot was killed.

The plane had departed from Wadsworth Municipal Airport around 11 a.m. and was only in the air for a few minutes before it went down, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. It wasn’t immediately clear if the pilot was alone in the plane.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation. An OSHP spokesman said the pilot had been in contact with the control tower prior to the crash, and there may have been a mechanical failure with the aircraft.

Dive teams were searching the pond for the pilot and wreckage from the plane.