A small plane crashed Wednesday night near Parkers Prairie in central Minnesota, killing the pilot, according to local authorities.

The single-engine propeller plane crashed about 6:30 p.m. on County Hwy. 40, about 5 miles north of Parkers Prairie, which is about 20 miles north of Alexandria. The pilot, a Minnesota man, was the only person on board, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office. Officials said they expect to release his name Thursday.

An Otter Tail County homeowner reported hearing a loud noise and found the damaged plane on his property, authorities said.

Tony Molinaro, a spokesman for the FAA in Chicago, said he didn't have enough information Wednesday night to determine who owned the plane. The FAA will gather information from the scene and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash, he said.

Mary Lynn Smith