Pilot dies in crash of replica WWI-era plane in upstate New York

RED HOOK, New York -- A replica of a World War I-era fighter plane caught fire and crashed during an airshow in upstate New York, killing the pilot, according to police.

Brian Coughlin, 60, died Saturday after the Fokker D.VIII replica went down during an exhibition at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Manhattan, according to statement from the Red Hook Police Department.

Police said it appeared the engine caught fire due to unknown mechanical issues, causing the plane to crash.

Coughlin, from Cazenovia in central New York, was the only person in the plane and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, which stages vintage airshows on weekends, said on social media that Coughlin was a longtime volunteer and board member.



Coughlin often flew antique planes from an airstrip in his backyard and survived a 2005 crash involving the engine failure of a replica of a WWI French plane he was piloting, according to syracuse.com.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

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