On Sunday afternoon, an aviation incident near Martha’s Vineyard Airport brought fear and concern among pilots and passengers alike.
A Piper Meridian Turbo Prop, carrying two passengers, departed Westchester, New York, in the early hours of the day and headed for Massachusetts. Unbeknownst to the 68-year-old female passenger and the 79-year-old male pilot, a medical emergency would end their journey prematurely.
The woman and pilot had taken off with no knowledge of the fate they were heading towards, but at around 3:15 pm, they’d experienced the worst. Having to take control of the aircraft due to the pilot’s medical emergency, the 68-year-old woman flew the plane and made a hard landing near Martha’s Vineard runway.
The two were quickly extracted and rushed to a nearby hospital for further treatment. The 79-year-old man was airlifted to Boston and is currently in “serious life-threatening condition,” according to the State Police. Thankfully, the woman was not injured and has since been released.
The National Transportation Safety Board has taken charge of the investigation process. It is being assisted by the Federal Aviation Administration and Massachusetts State Police Authority in seeking to identify the cause of the crash. The aircraft itself has been moved to a secure location.
The medical emergency that the pilot experienced has not been disclos