The single-engine, home-built Prowler Jaguar crashed immediately after taking off around 11 a.m., FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said.
The plane was destroyed by the fire and the Salinas Fire Department is reporting that the pilot, the only person on board, was killed, Gregor said.
The crash will be investigated by both the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, with the NTSB taking the lead.
