A small airplane carrying two passengers crashed after the pilot had a medical emergency while trying to land on Martha’s Vineyard Saturday, according to officials.
The single-engine Piper-46 crashed around 3:15 p.m. while trying to land at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport in West Tisbury, an FAA spokesperson told Boston 25 News. A preliminary investigation from Massachusetts State Police determined the 79-year-old man piloting the plane suffered a medical emergency while trying to land. The female passenger grabbed the controls but the hard landing caused the plane’s left wing to break in half.
The pilot was flown to a hospital in Boston in life-threatening condition, according to Massachusetts State Police. The female passenger was taken to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and later released.
The pilot and passenger live in Connecticut and departed in the plane from Winchester, New York earlier in the afternoon, MSP says.
A person at the airport told Boston 25 News that all flights at the small airport were delayed due to the incident.
According to FlightAware, at least one plane originally scheduled to land on the island was routed to Boston instead.
A passenger at Martha’s Vineyard airport tells me all flights are delayed due to some sort of incident on a runway. Flight aware shows at least one plane entroute to MVY diverted to Boston this afternoon #boston25 pic.twitter.com/5cuh2mMMrX
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) July 15, 2023
The FAA, Massachusetts State Police and NTSB are investigating the crash.
Video from inside the airport shows flashing lights at the end of one of the runways.
Can’t see much in this video but some flashing lights at the end of the runway. Flights are getting out but delayed. #boston25 pic.twitter.com/ErOiqKwiez
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) July 15, 2023
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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