Glider crash in Northern Colorado prompts concerns over oversight, regulation

CBS News

3 days ago

Emergency services scrambled Wednesday morning for a glider crash near a remote airfield in Northern Colorado.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office believes that the glider, flying in a group of three, collided with a power line on descent, crashing on County Road 2. There was one pilot in the craft, but LCSO told CBS Colorado they are waiting to hear back from the family before publicly updating the pilot's health status.
"These are always hard crashes, always hard calls to go on," said Kate Kimble, Public Information Officer for the Larimer County Sheriff's.
The gliders, called 'ultralights', are typical of this area, and the airfield is owned by a resident off the road. But neighbors told CBS Colorado that it was only a matter of time before the worst happened, given how close the power lines were to a field that is used as an airstrip.
One neighbor was walking along the Little Thompson River and returned to the area to see black smoke rising from the center of the road and their home without power. Teams with Poudre Valley REA worked throughout the day to return power and put new lines up.
This airfield, located outside of Berthoud, is one of many in an area popular with gliding and flying smaller aircraft.
"We have a lot of members in our flying and gliding community here in Colorado, and we know that this is an area of interest for them as well," Kimble explained.
But some residents aren't thrilled with the gliders, telling CBS Colorado that they are starting to pose a safety risk as pilots conduct increasingly difficult maneuvers in the air.
"The low flying is also a safety issue. Not just for me and my horses and livestock, but also from there," said Longmont resident Allison Schultz, who lives two miles west of Vance Brand Airport. She told CBS Colorado that she regularly sees ultralights flying low, sometimes below tree line, and is worried about the lack of regulation around the smaller aircraft. The NTSB and FAA sometimes investigate glider crashes, but sometimes do not, as was the case on Wednesday.
"Here's a mix of so many different flying things [at the airport] and not a lot of regulation or management," said Schultz.
Dr. Stephen Miller, a Longmont resident of 31 years, is also concerned about the safety risks. Earlier this year, an ultralight crashed on his property, flipping over in the field next to his home. The pilot escaped without injuries, but it made Miller worry about whether it might happen again.
"[The pilots] have no regard for anything on the ground," he said. "It's like we don't exist."
In light of another accident in the area, both Schultz and Miller would like to see more oversight and regulation of ultralights, and gliders in particular, whether it be from local, state or federal agencies.
"It seems like no one has any oversight over these planes," he said.