A small airplane crashed Wednesday morning in a wooded area just off Mississippi Highway 8 near Minter City, killing the pilot.
Tallahatchie County Emergency Management Agency Director Thad Roberts said the plane was an agricultural aircraft, commonly called a crop duster, used for aerial application of farm chemicals.
Roberts said it crashed about 150 yards north of Highway 8, in Tallahatchie County. There was no fire following the incident, he added.
Roberts said some diesel fuel was spilled at the crash site but no chemicals were.
"We don't believe that he was carrying any chemicals at the time," Roberts said. "We believe that it had all been sprayed out."
Roberts said the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the National Transportation Safety Board would be overseeing recovery and examination of the aircraft.
Federal officials also will be trying to determine the cause of the crash.
"We don't know what happened, so I'm not going to say," Roberts noted.
Roberts said the pilot, who died at the scene, was not carrying any identification.
Tallahatchie County Sheriff William Brewer said a positive ID of the pilot may require the use of dental records or other forensic evidence.
"We believe we know who he is but we can't say for certain at this time," Brewer added.
The sheriff said the plane flew for Midway Air Service of Minter City.
The Sun-Sentinel was unable Wednesday afternoon to reach anyone at the business for comment.
The plane crash was reported about 9:15 Wednesday morning by a farmer in the area, said Louise Clark, a radio dispatcher for the Tallahatchie County Sheriff's Office.
