May Have Suffered Stroke

A pilot from New York is thought to have suffered a stroke before losing control of his 1968 Dever Stits Playmate SA11A and striking a parked truck just after touching down Tuesday at Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport (VVS) in Connellsville, PA.

Pilot Chester J. Richer, 72, landed shortly before noon then apparently lost control. The aircraft (file photo of type, above) traveled from the runway onto the ramp area and struck the airport's courtesy vehicle. The truck was unoccupied at the time of impact.

Airport Manager Sam Cortis said no one was in the office at the time of the accident, and there were no other injuries reported, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Monarch Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Jim Snyder said the truck spilled a few gallons of auto fuel and the plane, spilled about 50 gallons of avgas. Fire crews used foam and an oil-absorbent fabric to soak up the fuels.

According to Snyder, Richer may have suffered a stroke upon or just after landing.

After being extricated from his aircraft, Richer was airlifted to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he was listed in critical condition Tuesday night.

Cortis said he is not familiar with the airplane or the pilot. It is unknown if VVS was his destination, or if an emergency landing was made.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 7760        Make/Model: SA11      Description: SA-11 Playmate
  Date: 05/22/2007     Time: 1555

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: CONNELLSVILLE   State: PA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A TRUCK

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   1
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: UNKNOWN

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: ALLEGHENY CO., PA  (EA03)             Entry date: 05/23/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov