Small plane crashes into the Tennessee River near Knoxville Downtown Island Airport

A small, single-engine plane has crashed into the Tennessee River near the Knoxville Downtown Island Airport.

"The pilot was able to escape the plane without injury," the Knoxville Fire Department wrote on X.

The crash happened at about 7:30 p.m., the Knoxville Police Department write on X. The male pilot was the only occupant and escaped without any injuries.

Knoxville Fire Department spokesman Mark Wilbanks said the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate before it's determined when and how to get the plane out of the water. It only had a small amount of fuel on board, he said.

Knoxville Police Department spokesman Scott Erland was not able to say whether the plane was taking off or landing when it crashed. Those details will be part of the FAA investigation.