One person is dead after a small plane crashed in Markham on Thursday evening.

York Region police say the pilot was killed when a plane went down at about 8 p.m. near the Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham.

Insp. Lesley Weller says the crash occurred in an open area just west of the airport, away from any buildings or roads.

She says there were no other injuries.

The pilot's name and age have not yet been released.

The Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of investigators to the scene.