A World War II-era aircraft crashed during an attempted landing at a Pennsylvania airport on Wednesday evening. The pilot was trapped inside the overturned plane before being rescued by police and an airport employee, authorities reported.

Police from Limerick Township arrived at Heritage Field Airport around 7:17 p.m. to find the aircraft upside down on the runway. The pilot, the sole occupant, was trapped. An airport employee and police officers freed him from his parachute and extracted him from the plane.

According to Limerick Township Fire Chief Ken Shuler, “We received reports the pilot was trapped in the plane. By the time we arrived, they were already extracting him, so no fire department intervention was needed.”

Reports indicated the pilot was conscious and standing, though he had visible cuts. Medical personnel from Freedom Valley Medical Rescue treated him at the scene before transporting him to Reading Trauma Center. He was alert and speaking after the crash. No further details on his condition were available.

The aircraft, a single-engine plane, had taken off from Pottstown, bound for Quakertown. It had been airborne for about nine minutes. The crash resulted in a fuel leak, requiring firefighters to remain at the airport to handle the situation and prevent any fire hazards.

Heritage Field Airport, previously known as Pottstown Municipal Airport, caters to private and recreational aviation. The airport remained closed Wednesday night to manage the fuel issue and remove the wreckage.

The cause of the crash remains uncertain as police have informed the Federal Aviation Administration’s Eastern Region Operations Center. Aviation authorities are investigating the incident.