A pilot wanted on fraud charges parachuted out of his plane over the US state of Alabama and allowed the aircraft to crash in neighboring Florida in an apparent attempt to fake his death.

Authorities launched a manhunt for 38-year-old Marcus Schrenker, who survived and checked into an Alabama hotel under a false name, and then fled, a Florida sheriff's officer said.

He was the only person aboard the plane that took off last Sunday from Indiana.

RTE