A pilot was killed when a small airplane crashed in rural Ellsworth County Sunday afternoon.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 77-year-old Ronnie Thompson of Goddard was flying a Piper fixed wing aircraft.  He was flying from Lucas  to Wichita, when for no apparent reason the plane went down.

Thompson, who was flying solo, was killed in the crash.

The crash happened Sunday afternoon at 1:30, in the area of the Ellsworth County community of Wilson,  about two miles east of K 232  Highway near Ave D.

The FAA is investigating the crash.

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KSN News photo via Matthew Fulkerson