A 47-year-old Honolulu man died yesterday morning after his sport utility vehicle crashed into a tree along Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku.

Police said the man was driving a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder north on the highway when he veered onto the right grassy shoulder and struck an ironwood tree at about 4:45 a.m. The vehicle caught fire, but passing motorists were able to get the man out of the SUV, police said.

The man was taken to Kahuku Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The man's identity was not released by the city medical examiner, which has scheduled an autopsy for today.

Police said it was not known if the man was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Speed does not appear to be a factor and it was unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved, police said.

It was the 49th traffic fatality on O'ahu this year, compared with 42 during the same period last year.