March 8 (UPI) -- The pilot of an ultralight aircraft died in a crash near the Hesperia. Calif., airport, authorities said.
The small, experimental aircraft crashed near a privately owned airport on Tuesday. The unidentified pilot, the only person aboard the plane, was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unclear if the plane was arriving or departing the airport.
Hazmat crews cleaned up about 10 gallons of fuel which leaked from the plane.
The aircraft is considered a "hobby" plane. The Federal Aviation Administration demands planes in that category fly only in daylight and refrain from flying over populated areas; it otherwise does not require registration or proof of airworthiness. In the case of the crashed plane, which had two seats, the pilot was required to have at least a Sport Pilot certification.
