Plane From Westchester County Airport Crashed In Martha's Vineyard

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — A small plane that crashed in Martha's Vineyard over the weekend had departed from Westchester County Airport hours earlier.

According to Massachusetts State Police, the 2006 Piper Meridian crash-landed in a grassy area near a runway at the Martha's Vineyard Airport around 3:15 p.m. on Saturday.

The preliminary investigation found that the 79-year-male pilot suffered a medical emergency upon final approach. A female passenger took the controls and attempted to land the aircraft, which resulted in a hard landing outside the runway that caused the aircraft’s left wing to break in half, according to police.

Both the pilot and passenger were taken to a local hospital.

Afterwards, the pilot was flown by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital in serious life-threatening condition. As of Monday, the pilot remains in serious condition.

The passenger, who was uninjured, was evaluated at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and released.

Both the pilot and passenger are Connecticut residents and reportedly the owners of the plane.

Police said the scene was cleared and the aircraft was removed and taken to a secure location at the airport.

The crash remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police-Oak Bluffs Barracks, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit for the Cape and Islands District, and the Federal Aviation Administration.