Officials say it appears plane was on autopilot and crashed after running out of fuel.

MARATHON -- Ontario Provincial Police and the Transportation Safety Board appear to have a ghost plane on their hands.

Police say a downed aircraft, rented in Ann Arbor, Mich. earlier this week and destined for Harbor Springs, Mich., crashed in Northern Ontario late Wednesday night.

The plane, a Cessna 172, was discovered on Thursday, about 60 kilometres east of Marathon. Two rescue technicians were airlifted into the site and upon arrival they found the plane unoccupied and no footprints in the snow around the wreckage. It appears the plane was on autopilot and crashed after exhausting its fuel supply.

The investigation is now in the hands of the OPP and the Transportation Safety Board.

This is an update of a story published earlier on Friday.