STANDISH — A small plane crashed Sunday evening in the area of 272 Northeast Road on Route 35.

Just before 6 p.m., the Eagle 540 single-engine biplane, piloted by Billy Werth of Indiana, came down across the road before landing in the ditch along the road. According to WGME, the pilot was midly injured in the crash that shut down Route 35.

The two-seat plane Werth was flying, classified by the FAA as an experimental aircraft, is part of his business in Indiana, Billy Werth Airshows.

Werth’s social media page said he was travelling to the Acadian Heritage Air Show in Frenchville for the weekend, where he was flying with the Iron Eagle Aerobatic Team.

Werth’s webpage, billywerthairshows.com, shows Werth performing various stunts as well as offering rides and lessons.

A video on the site shows Werth racing his brother in the Eagle upside down while his brother on a motorcycle reaches out and grabs the tail of the aircraft.

According to FAA records, the aircraft was involved in an June 2012 incident at the Kokomo Municipal Airport in Indiana.

According to the report, the aircraft was taking off during an air show but failed to gain proper altitude and collided with trees at the end of the runway.

Although the pilot was able to return to the runway to land, the report stated, “The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings and horizontal stabilizer during the collision with the trees.”

dmcintire@sunjournal.com

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