Investigators in Indiana say a man from Shelby Township died in a small plane crash on Wednesday.
The accident happened near Hartsville in Bartholomew County, that's about 45 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
Authorities say 77-year-old Ren Sagaert of Shelby Township was the only person on board the 1940 Temco Swift airplane.
Investigators say Sagaert was taking off from a grass strip at a private airport when he crashed into the tree line.
Investigators are speaking with the property owner, who witnessed the crash.
“The witness said it was taking off, I’m not sure if it was still on the ground. They said that as it was taking off they saw it roll, but I don't know just exactly how far off the ground it was," said an Indiana investigator on the scene.
Another person familiar with the grass strip airport says the grass creates a lot of ground friction and can impact take off because it takes longer to get the plane airborne.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash.
An autopsy was ordered to determine Sagaert’s cause of death.
