Piper PA46 accident near Vineyard Haven, MA
On July 15, 2023, a Piper PA46 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Vineyard Haven, MA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 15, 2023
- Place
- Vineyard Haven, MA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.385°N, 70.620°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230717192636
Official records · ERA23LA300
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On July 15, 2023, at 1515 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA46-500TP airplane, N444RR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. The pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the passenger, the pilot had just performed a go-around while on approach to runway 6 at Martha’s Vineyard Airport (MVY), Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, when he experienced a medical emergency and “blacked out.” The passenger, who was not a pilot, took the flight controls and made an emergency, gear-up landing on airport property. The airplane bounced several times after touchdown, then came to rest upright with the left wing fractured. According to the passenger, there were “no mechanical issues whatsoever” that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. According to FAA airman records, the pilot’s most recent third-class medical certificate was issued June 1, 2023. Previously, the pilot had been granted a third-class Authorization for Special Issuance medical certificate, which required that he provide extensive documentation of his health conditions to the FAA. A review of the pilot’s medical history revealed that he had high blood pressure since 1970, which he treated with medications, as well as coronary artery disease with prior heart attack, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures in 1981 and 1996. He also had a history of atrial fibrillation since 2019, which he treated with blood-thinning
Probable cause
The pilot’s incapacitation due to a sudden in-flight cardiac event, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
More accidents in MA
- Gulfstream Aerospace G IV, Jun 1, 2014
- Beechcraft B200, Apr 4, 2003
- Cessna 425, Oct 25, 2006
- Piper PA-32-300, Mar 3, 2003
- Cirrus SR-22, Apr 9, 2009
Browse: Massachusetts · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
