LUCE CO. -- A single engine plane crashed at the Luce County Airport Sunday afternoon, police said.

The pilot, Dean Minett, 61, of Newberry, was taken to Helen Joy Hospital for burns to his legs and arms. Troopers from the Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post arrived on scene around 2:15 p.m. to find the plane on the west of the runway fully engulfed in flames. Minett told police he smelled smoke in the cockpit and tried to turn around to land but was distracted by smoke filling up the cockpit and crashed.

The plane was owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. It was being flown for aerial fire assistance. The plane is a total loss.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash. Michigan State Police was assisted on scene by the Luce County Airport staff, the Luce County Emergency Management Director, Luce County EMS, the Michigan DNR, and the Newberry Fire Department.