MERRILL, Wis. — A 24-year-old man is dead after a small plane crash in central Wisconsin.

Marathon County Sheriff’s Lt. Randy Albert says the man was piloting the single-engine plane believed to be owned by Minnesota State University in Mankato. He says the Federal Aviation Administration notified them at about 5 p.m. Thursday of a missing plane.

Officials started a search and found it about four hours later in a heavily wooded area in the Town of Bern. Albert says the man was alone on board and was dead when rescuers found him.

Albert says the man was on his way the Merrill airport. He says they believe the man lived in Minnesota, was affiliated with the school and was flying to Merrill to visit family for the holiday.