LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. -- After pilot Allan Eich retired from US Airways, he would fly a small Ultralight plane and do it just for fun. Now his family is trying to understand how he could have died doing the thing he loved.

Whenever the sky was blue, and the wind was still, there's only one place Eich wanted to be in the sky.

"He loved to fly, and anything that could fly he was out in it," said Allan Eich's wife, Susan Eich.

Susan Eich said she never worried about Allan. He'd been flying since age 15. He flew in the Air Force for 6 years, and with US Airways, where he was still a pilot.

"My husband would examine everything over and over and over. I was never really concerned because I knew he was a detail man, and always looked at all the details, and covered every base," said Susan Eich.

No one could explain what happened when Allen Eich took off in his Ultralight plane from a rural airstrip in Lancaster County, S.C., near the Mecklenburg County line on Monday, and somehow hit a power line in a pasture several miles away and then fell to his death.

Anthony White watched the small plane fly over, and thought little of it at the time.

"He came over in the back of the field from us, flying at about tree level. We just never did see no more of him after that," said White.

When the Ultralight went down, homes in the area lost power. It was hours before Duke Power employee found the cause of the outage and the wreckage.

Despite their grief, Eich's family said their faith in God gives them a great peace.

"I know the Lord is in control, and no matter what happens, He will be my strength," said Susan Eich.

Because Ultralights are not regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the sheriff's office is doing the investigation. They have not determined a cause yet.

An Ultralight flyer is a small plane and flown primarily for fun. They are lightweight and designed to operate at low speeds.

There are restrictions. They can only be used during the day and pilots can't operate them over congested areas.