An elderly man died after a tractor flipped over on him this afternoon, according to Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton.

Louis Atkinson, 83, was pronounced dead at his home in Clearwater at about 1:30 p.m., according to Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton.

Mr. Atkinson was preparing his garden when the incident occurred. Apparently he was attempting to plow a drainage trench downhill toward a pond on the property when he drove the tractor down a nearly 8-foot drop-off, causing the vehicle to overturn, Mr. Carlton said.

The Aiken County Coroner's Office is investigating, but no autopsy is planned, the coroner said.

The accident occurred off Cherokee Drive, near Belvedere-Clearwater Road, Aiken County sheriff’s Capt. Troy Elwell said.

Reach Preston Sparks at (803) 648-1395 or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com