Latest news with #glider
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Glider crash in Northern Colorado prompts concerns over oversight, regulation
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.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- BBC News
West Sussex glider lost control twice before fatal crash
A glider pilot lost control of his aircraft twice before hitting trees and the ground in a fatal 5 June 2024 the Mini Nimbus C glider suffered "catastrophic" damage after crashing into high trees near Crouch Lane in Barlavington, West Sussex, resulting in injuries that were likely "immediately or very quickly fatal".A report from the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) concluded that the pilot, a 73-year-old retired doctor, had not been attempting to land and was trying to gain height before the report also found that the pilot was involved in another late landing a fortnight before the fatal crash having first tried to land in a field with school children in. Weather conditions at the time of the crash were described as "marginal" but "challenging".The AAIB found that the pilot took off from Southdown Gliding Club in Pulborough at around 08:00 BST for a planned five-hour flight but turned back 30 minutes into the journey. One witness said the pilot said he intended to fly cross-country since "soaring locally for five hours would become boring".After gradually losing height, the pilot successfully regained some altitude but suffered two losses of control where his aircraft stalled and suffered a "wing drop", where the aircraft rolls to one regaining control of the glider, the aircraft clipped the top of 50ft (15.2m) tall trees before crashing to the ground at 10:13 BST. 'Very responsible' Members of the gliding club noticed that the glider's tracker had appeared to have stopped at 13:30, but assumed that the pilot had landed and was arranging his own recovery as this was normal the pilot had not returned later that afternoon the glider club sent out a search flight and declared a mayday shortly before 17:00.A dog walker found the crashed glider and the pilot unresponsive shortly before this and called emergency pilot's family stated that he took a "very responsible attitude to flying", with witnesses stating he did not seem unwell before the crash.A medical declaration form completed by the pilot stated that he had been taking blood pressure medication which can cause dizziness and nausea, but there was no suggestion he had been suffering with this prior to the report concluded, however, that a health issue contributing to the crash "could not be ruled out".
