KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A pilot suffered severe burns when he crashed shortly after taking off from the Liberty Landing Airport on Thursday evening, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said.
The pilot was able to get out of the plane and walk back to the airport before he was transported to an area hospital.
The sheriff's office said it took more than an hour for a Kansas City Police Department helicopter to locate the wrecked plane. Once located, smoke was seen and fire crews worked to put the fire out.
Railroad tracks near the area of the crash may have been damaged during the crash, the sheriff's office said.
On Friday afternoon, the sheriff's office said the pilot remained in critical condition.
While being transported to an area hospital, the pilot told deputies the plane caught fire while he was in the air.
The Federal Aviation Administration is at the scene along with the National Transportation Safety Board as the investigation continues.
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