Associated Press - August 10, 2009 5:24 PM ET

HARLAN, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say the pilot of a crop duster suffered minor injuries when the plane lost power and crashed during takeoff at an airport near Harlan in western Iowa.

The accident happened about 10:45 a.m. on Monday.

The Shelby County sheriff's office says the single-seat plane crashed about 100 yards beyond the runway and ended up upside down in a cornfield.

Authorities say the pilot, 51-year-old Michael Christensen, of Harlan, received only minor injuries and walked away from the crash.

The sheriff's office says the plane was loaded with 170 gallons of fungicide. Hazardous material crews were on the scene. The airport was closed to air traffic.

The sheriff's office says no other information was immediately available.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.