A vintage aircraft that had flown in the Warbirds over Wānaka airshow over the weekend flipped and crashed at Cromwell airport this afternoon.

A police spokesman said they received an alert about midday after an aircraft appeared to have “flipped or crashed” near State Highway 6 and Ripponvale Rd, by the Cromwell racecourse airport.

He said there were no serious injuries reported but there are road closures in place.

Warbirds over Wānaka was held nearby over the long weekend, and the plane, a Tiger Moth, had been flown at the show before this incident.

The pilot was a “young, good, great pilot for the future and it was his first display at Wānaka” said the event general manager Ed Taylor.

“He was just returning the aircraft back to its base when the incident happened . . . we’ve heard various things about what happened but that’s for the pilot to work out.

“Obviously we’re very grateful to hear that no one’s been injured, which is the main things and that [the pilot] and his partner are safe and well.”

Taylor also said it was sad the plane had been damaged.

One man on social media posted a photo of the incident, showing the plane lying upside down on the grass.

“Sad sight at the Cromwell racecourse around 12.15 today. Tiger Moth overturned. Emergency services there, hope no-one was injured,” he wrote.

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice, and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.