Only the pilot was on board as the Piper Arrow, on route between Ljubljana and Vienna, plunged in the area around Mengeš, north of Slovenia's capital, the Ljubljana police said.

The plane entered the Mengeš area just before 7 PM yesterday when the pilot told the air traffic control he had problems. He then plummeted towards the steep wooded area near the location called Pristava.

Police and fire-fighters were sent to the scene as soon as the police were notified of the crash by the air traffic control. They found plane debris scattered in a 100-metre radius at around 9 PM and later the body.

Police are being joined by an aircraft accident expert today as they continue investigation on the ground.