Incident
A Piper PA-28-150 aircraft departed with a private pilot and one passenger. Minutes after takeoff, the pilot lost consciousness. The passenger, who had no previous flying experience, provided mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but was unable to revive the pilot.
Emergency Landing
The passenger then attempted an off-airport landing. During the landing, the aircraft struck trees. The pilot sustained minor injuries in the impact, while the passenger received serious injuries.
Medical Response
Following the landing, the unconscious pilot was removed from the aircraft. Rescue personnel performed resuscitation attempts. The pilot was transported to a local medical facility, where he was pronounced dead.
Pilot History
The pilot had been under treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure). An autopsy revealed severe occlusion of his coronary arteries. Toxicology testing detected verapamil, a cardiac medication that had been prescribed to the pilot.