Small plane crashes in Prince George's County

BOWIE, Md. - A small plane crashed in a field nearby an airport in Prince George's County Thursday evening, authorities say.

According to Federal Aviation Administration, a Cessna C172 aircraft crashed in a field about a half-mile north of Freeway Airport in Bowie at around 6:20 p.m. The male pilot was the only person onboard the plane.

Maryland State Police say 72-year-old Michael Paul Pillsbury, of Washington D.C., was returning from Ocean City and attempting his final approach to land at the airport when his plane made contact with a tree line causing the single-engine aircraft to crash and be located upside down in the trees.

The pilot was alert, responsive and able to walk out of the woods, police say. He was transported to Prince George's Hospital Center with non-life-threatening injuries. According to investigators, no signs of impairment were observed.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, police say.