A pilot died after a small plane crashed near Space Coast Regional Airport early Monday, officials confirmed. The incident occurred on the airport’s north side, approximately 1 mile from the main runway, according to Brevard County Fire Rescue. The plane, a single-engine Cessna 172, was registered to a local pilot with 1,200 hours of flight experience, records show. No one on the ground was injured, but the aircraft was destroyed upon impact. The crash was reported around 7:45 a.m. by a passing motorist who saw the plane go down in a field near State Road 520. Emergency crews arrived within minutes, but the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. Officials said the pilot’s family has been notified and that the plane’s wreckage is being examined for clues. Space Coast Regional Airport officials said operations at the facility were not disrupted. A spokesperson for the airport said the crash site is not near any active runways or taxiways. The Federal Aviation Administration is also reviewing the incident.