Two individuals are killed when a small plane crashes while attempting to land on Martha’s Vineyard.
The 79-year-old pilot was taken to a Boston hospital by air in critical, life-threatening condition, according to Massachusetts State Police; his passenger, a 68-year-old woman, was assessed at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and released.
Following a medical issue for the pilot on board, a tiny plane crashed on Saturday while attempting to land at the Martha’s Vineyard airport.
The Piper Meridian Turbo Prop 6 seat aircraft was reported to have crashed at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport at 3:12 p.m., according to West Tisbury police.
The aircraft touched down in a grassy patch close to the runway, according to state police.
A single-engine Piper-46 crashed around 3:15 p.m. while making a landing at the airfield in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, and the Federal Aviation Administration reported there were two passengers on board.
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The pilot, a 79-year-old man, was experiencing a medical episode when he approached, prompting his 68-year-old passenger to take over the controls, according to state and local police.
According to state police, the woman attempted to land the aircraft, but it made a harsh crash outside the runway, shattering its left wing in half.
Local police described the incident as a the plane landing on its belly with no landing gear and said the pilot had to be extricated from the plane.
After being transported to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the man was given a medical helicopter ride to Boston so that he might receive additional care. Later on Saturday, state police declared that his condition was grave and potentially fatal. What kind of medical episode he was having aboard the plane has not been disclosed by the police.
State police report that the woman was examined at the hospital before being released, but she did not sustain any injuries.
The man and lady are from Connecticut, according to state police; their names have not been made public.
The airport opened its tiny runway on Saturday and was operating gradually, according to West Tisbury police. Later that day, state police announced that the scene had been cleared.
According to state police, the plane, a 2006 Piper Meridian, was relocated to a safe spot at the airport. It had left New York’s Westchester earlier on Saturday.
The FAA and the Massachusetts State Police are assisting the National Transportation Safety Board, which is in charge of the inquiry.
According to the FAA, a preliminary accident or incident report will typically be posted by the following business day. On Saturday, no additional information was provided right away.
NBC Boston has inquired about further information from the airport.
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