A gyro-copter crashed and burned on the runway at the Foley Municipal Airport Monday afternoon, prompting an investigation by local and federal authorities. Foley Fire Chief Joseph Darby has provided additional details about the incident.

The gyro-copter, a two-seater with only the 67-year-old pilot onboard, crashed shortly after takeoff. The pilot, who regularly flew out of the Foley airport, is believed to have died on impact. Weather conditions at the time of the crash did not appear to have been a factor, and the aircraft had just been refueled before the incident.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working with local officials to investigate the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is also involved, with an investigator expected to arrive on-site tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Foley Municipal Airport remains closed as authorities await an inspection of the runway.

The Baldwin County Coroner's Office will release the identity of the pilot once next-of-kin notifications are completed. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Magni Gyro aircraft are produced in Italy. The M-16 model is a two-seat trainer. The Magni Gyro corporation refer to their product as a "Gyroplane" and have produced over 1,000 of the aircraft according to their website.

Gyroplanes are generally considered to be one of the safest aviation vehicles when flown by a properly trained pilot. This is because gyroplanes are in autorotation the entire time they are in flight. However, when an accident does occur, 59 of the 156 accidents resulted in at least one fatality. This equates to a 38% fatality rate per accident, according to the Pilots of America Association.