A pilot was found dead after two glider planes collided in the air, as one aircraft crashed into a remote area of upstate New York.
The two glider planes crashed on Friday afternoon just before 2.30pm. One plane landed safely nearby at the Plateau Sky Ranch Airport, but the other crashed in a rural site near Edinburg, according to the New York State Police.
Each plane was operated by a single pilot and carried no other passengers. Local police, along with the New York State Forest Rangers, discovered debris from the second plane just before 5pm.
The pilot, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was pronounced dead at the scene. The pilot of the plane that reached the airport was uninjured.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating what led to the collision.
The FAA said the crashed glider was a Schempp-Hirth Ventus aircraft, and the one that landed safely was a Schleicher AS24.
Edinburg is about an hour north of Albany. Footage of the crash site showed police surrounding a small plane in a wooded area.
Audio from Broadcastify revealed an emergency responder describing black smoke plummeting from the crash site.
A small glider plane crash landed in a wooded area of upstate New York on Friday afternoon. The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene
A large police and fire presence responded the the site. The second plane landed safely at a small airport nearby and the pilot was uninjured
The New York State Police released an incident report online at about 3pm, advising residents to avoid the area of Wheeler Road and anticipate a heavy police response.
Elayne Wade, owner of Plateau Sky Ranch Airport, told the Times Union that the plane that landed safely had only minor damage.
Wade described the pilot as ‘shaken but okay,’ adding that he went back up in a plane after the crash to find the other glider.
Jennifer Gabris, a spokesperson for the NTSB, said the agency will investigate the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment to determine what led to the collision.
The investigation includes obtaining flight track data, recordings, aircraft maintenance records, weather forecasts, the pilot’s license and flight history, witness statements and surveillance video.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days and a final report will follow in the next 12-24 months.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the New York State Police for an update.
