Male pilot seriously injured, airlifted to hospital, after his single engine aircraft crashes and burns at the H.L. Sonny Callahan Airport in Fairhope.

A small plane crashed Saturday at H.L. Sonny Callahan Airport in Fairhope, sending one man to a local hospital.

The crash was reported around 2 p.m. when emergency medical responders were dispatched to the scene. The man who was flying the small Cessna has not yet been identified.

Officials said the Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department was still on scene around 3:30 p.m. The man was taken by Life Flight to USA Medical Center. A hospital official confirmed someone matching the description of the pilot arrived in their emergency room around 4:25 p.m.

Fire Chief Chris Ellis said the pilot was found outside of the plane when first responders arrived. A crew of about 20 firefighters were need to extinguish the blaze.

Only a portion of the plane’s fuselage, tail and cockpit were all that remained of the wreckage, Ellis said. It is unknown what caused the plane to catch fire, or whether the man was taking off or landing during the incident.

Ellis said he did not appear to have any life-threatening injuries.

As of late Saturday, no inbound flights are being allowed into the airport, Ellis said. Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration will be on scene early Sunday to inspect the site.