Homemade Plane Crashes At Orange Airport; 2 Hurt

ORANGE, MA — A homemade plane crash-landed at Orange Municipal Airport Tuesday afternoon when its nose gear collapsed, according to authorities. The pilot and a passenger were injured, fire officials said. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening. The plane, a homebuilt Vans RV-8, had "heavy damage," fire officials said.

The crash happened at about 12:50 p.m., according to Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. The Vans RV-8 aircraft is a 22-foot, two-seat propeller plane sold in a kit. It is registered to an Oregon man, according to FAA records. (Sign up for free daily newsletters and breaking news alerts from Massachusetts Patch sites.)

The pilot was able to escape the wreckage, fire officials said, and first responders pulled the passenger out. Ambulances from several local communities responded to the crash scene. Fuel leaked from the aircraft onto the runway.

Orange Municipal Airport— located in Central Massachusetts along Route 2 — is small, with just about 50 planes based there. It is owned by the Town of Orange.

Lead photo: The scene of a plane crash at Orange Municipal Airport September 26, 2017. (Credit: Orange Fire Department)