Saratoga County glider collision leaves one pilot dead

A mid-air collision between two gliders in Saratoga County, New York, resulted in the death of one pilot on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred near the town of Edinburg at approximately 2:26 p.m.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration and state authorities, the two aircraft involved were a Schempp-Hirth Ventus and a Schleicher AS24. The Schleicher AS24 managed to remain airborne following the collision and landed safely at the nearby Plateau Sky Ranch Airport. The pilot of that aircraft was reported to be uninjured, though shaken.

The Schempp-Hirth Ventus crashed in a remote, wooded area off Sand Lake Road. Search teams from the New York State Police, State Forest Rangers, and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office located the wreckage in the difficult-to-access terrain. The pilot aboard the crashed aircraft was found dead at the scene. The identity of the deceased has not yet been released pending family notification. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to lead the investigation into the cause of the accident.