HIGHGATE, Vt. (AP) – An Alburg man died Sunday afternoon when his small aircraft crashed in a wooded area near the Swanton airport.

Joseph Roger Benjamin, 66, died at the scene of the crash, state police said Sunday night. He was flying a “gyrocopter,” a tiny aircraft that looks like a helicopter but is pushed by a rear-mounted propeller while the non-powered overhead blades create lift.

Witnesses said Benjamin’s engine stalled and the aircraft fell to the ground from an estimated 1,500 feet.

The accident happened around 1 p.m.

State police were called by people attending an air show at the airport. It was not known if Benjamin was participating in the show. It took about two hours for officials to locate the crash site.

The aircraft was not registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, which was notified of the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board, FAA spokeswoman Arlene Murray said.