A World War II-era plane crashed while attempting to land at Heritage Field Airport in Pennsylvania on Wednesday evening, resulting in the pilot being trapped inside the overturned aircraft before being rescued. Limerick Township police responded to the scene around 7:17 p.m. and found the small, single-engine plane upside down on the runway.
An airport employee and responding officers were able to free the pilot, who was the sole occupant of the plane, from his parachute and extract him from the aircraft. Limerick Township Fire Chief Ken Shuler told FOX29 Philadelphia that the pilot was being pulled out upon their arrival and that no extrication by the fire department was needed.
The pilot was reportedly conscious and able to stand following the incident, though he sustained visible cuts. He received treatment at the scene from Freedom Valley Medical Rescue and was subsequently transported to Reading Trauma Center. According to FOX29, the pilot was alert and talking after the crash, with no further updates on his condition available.
The aircraft had taken off from Pottstown and was en route to Quakertown. It had been airborne for approximately nine minutes before the crash. The incident caused a fuel leak on the runway, and firefighters remained at the airport to manage the spill and monitor for potential fires. Heritage Field Airport, previously known as Pottstown Municipal Airport, serves private and recreational aircraft. The airport remained closed Wednesday night as crews worked to address the fuel leak and remove the downed plane.
Authorities have notified the Federal Aviation Administration's Eastern Region Operations Center. The cause of the crash is not immediately known, and aviation authorities are conducting an investigation. The crash occurred on September 9, 2026.