Port Elizabeth said one person was killed when a light aircraft crashed into a ridge on the southern side of the Baakens Valley below First Avenue Walmer on Monday.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu, said that the accident happened between 2.15pm and 2.30pm.
"We can confirm one person was in the aircraft," Naidu said, which was a Fish Eagle aircraft.
She said the wreckage would be taken to the Port Elizabeth Airport for further forensic investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Meanwhile, the CAA said that a team of accident and incident investigators has been dispatched to begin the crash probe.
CAA spokesperson, Kabelo Ledwaba, said the accident happened soon after take-off from the Port Elizabeth Airport, adding that the plane was consumed by "post-impact fire".
"The completion of an investigation is marked by the release of a final accident report, which would contain the probable cause and safety recommendations aimed at improving the levels of safety and preventing a similar accident," he said.
"Investigations can vary in complexity and may at times take a significant time to complete. However, in instances where an investigation takes longer than 12 months, the investigation team would then issue an interim statement to indicate progress at that particular point," Ledwaba added.
Port Elizabeth businessman, Motse Mfuleni, said he witnessed the plane going down.
"I saw an aircraft, it looked like a two-seater aircraft flying low and very fast over the valley from the PE harbour side. It was quiet after then there was a bang and big smoke," he said.
There are unconfirmed reports that a second person may have died in the crash, but this could not be confirmed by police.
The name of the deceased has not yet been released.
