A single-engine plane crashed into a residence near Cape Fear Regional Jetport in coastal North Carolina on Sunday, tragically killing the pilot. Three occupants of the house managed to escape without injuries.

Southport Fire Chief Charles Drew reported that first responders arrived to find the aircraft fully engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading to the home's exterior. The residents had already evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, and the blaze was brought under control within 15 minutes.

The aircraft, a Mooney M20R, had departed from Cape Fear Regional Jetport at 4:15 p.m. with only the pilot on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A preliminary FAA report confirms the pilot's fatality.

Airport Director Howie Franklin told the Wilmington Star-News that airport personnel reported the pilot had radioed approximately five minutes after takeoff, expressing his intention to return to the airport. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it back.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the crash.