Homebuilt Destroyed; Second Pilot Safe

A Saturday noontime collision between a Zenair Zodiac 601 and a Cessna 172 left the 601 pilot dead, and the 172 pilot shaken, but physically unhurt.

A witness who saw an airplane plunge into a wood called police, and a New Jersey State Police helicopter found the wrecked plane. Jeffrey L. Glasserow, 55, was found dead in his amateur-built experimental Zodiac CH 601 HDS.

The airplane appears to have come down, out of control, in a forested area of a farm in rural Pohatcong township in Warren County, NJ. The New York Times quoted investigator Ron Harbist as saying that the Zodiac was "probably out of control when he hit; he came in at a steep angle."

Glasserow was from Franklin Township in New Jersey. According to information on the website of the maker of the kit, dated February, Glasserow purchased the kit used. That information seems to be confirmed by a New Year's Day online posting at "Wings Forum" where "Jeffrey Glasserow" who described his position as "Advertising Consultant" said: "I just bought a rather well used 601 HDS last week. It was built in 1999 and flew off its restrictions in early 2002."

The post said that the plane, N6384E, had 270 hours total, described many of its details, and suggested that Glasserow expected a great deal of work to get the plane airworthy. He closed by offering other Zenith
601 owners a trade -- a ride in Glasserow's Piper Cub for a ride in flying 601s. It was the only post that Glasserow ever made to the site.

Glasserow also posted to the Matronics-sponsored Zenith List from time to time. In his postings, he requested a pilot's operating handbook developed by another 601 owner, tried to organize a group for insurance, and proudly described several land speed records that he set on motorcycles.

The Cessna pilot, James P. Walter of Kintersville, Pennsylvania, 56, made an off-airport emergency landing in Alpha, New Jersey. He was reported to be unhurt, and the 172, which he rented from Sport Aviation, an Erwinna, Pennsylvania FBO, was lightly damaged. The New Jersey locations are all in northwestern New Jersey, not far from the Pennsylvania border.

Walter gave a statement to the State Police. "He told us he had just seen the other plane go down," Sgt. Stephen Jones, a state police spokesman, told the Associated Press.

The intended destinations of the two flights are unknown at this time. The accident will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, which will likely use regional and district FAA resources.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov