28 Mar 2016

Vintage plane crash under investigation

6:03 pm on 28 March 2016

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is investigating a crash at Wanaka Airport this morning involving a vintage war plane.

The two people on board the 1943 Harvard aircraft walked away uninjured.

Warbirds Over Wanaka manager Ed Taylor said the plane, part of the Roaring Forties aerobatic display team based at Ardmore Airport in Auckland, was coming back from a short flight when it struck trouble.

"Just on landing, it veered to the right and went off the tarmac runway onto the grass and there was a problem with the undercarriage, which collapsed bringing the plane to a sudden halt."

Mr Taylor said emergency services were quick to respond but it took some time for the runway to be cleared, causing long delays for those heading home today after the weekend's airshow.

Emergency services were called at 9.30am.