World War I-era plane flips over trying to land near museum in Massachusetts

A World War I-era plane flipped upside down onto its roof while trying to land near a military history museum in Massachusetts over the weekend, authorities said. The pilot was not injured.

The Nieuport 28, a single-engine fighter aircraft flown during World War I, crashed at the end of the runway outside of the American Heritage Museum on Sunday, according to the Stow Fire Department. The museum is located about 30 miles west of Boston. 

An initial investigation into the crash found that the plane’s front landing gear failed while its pilot, the only occupant, attempted to land at the museum’s airfield just after 11 a.m. on Sunday morning, the Stow Fire Department said in a post shared to Facebook. Their post included an image of the vintage aircraft turned over with its wheels up in a grassy field.

The pilot had removed himself from the plane before authorities arrived at the scene, Stow fire officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash.

“The pilot did not report any injuries but was evaluated at the scene as a precaution,” the Facebook post said.

The American Heritage Museum hosted a “World War I and Aviation Weekend” on Saturday and Sunday. The event series included flight demonstrations, history presentations and World War I reenactments, according to an online newsletter linked to the museum’s website. 

“Featured aircraft this weekend include America’s oldest flying original warplane, the 1918 Nieuport 28 World War I fighter along with three other historic, one-of-a-kind aircraft from WWII,” the newsletter read in part.