Ultralight Crashes in Chatham County

A small plane fell from the sky in Chatham County Monday afternoon.

The pilot, 46-year-old Donald Gates from Orange County, died on impact.

The ultralight plane went down in in a field near Highway 87 north of Pittsboro around 5 p.m. Monday.

The plane took off from a field along Lutterlow Road off Highway 87.

Witnesses reported hearing the ultralight in the air just before it went down.

The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.

The pilot was the only person on board.