Pilot’s Body Recovered In Rugged Terrain

The body of a glider pilot was found in the wreckage of his downed aircraft in rugged terrain south of Salida, CO, 100 miles south of Denver, according to Civil Air Patrol.

The pilot, Stewart Kissel of Vail was found late Saturday, a day after his single-seat Schempp-Hirth glider disappeared after it was released by a tow plane, CAP Capt. Steve Hamilton said.

CAP search planes spotted the wreckage at about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and ground crews reached the site at 9:20 p.m., Hamilton said.

Eleven CAP aircraft from Colorado and New Mexico had been searching for Kissel since Saturday morning, according to MyFoxColorado.com.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 36LB        Make/Model: GLID      Description: SCHEMPP HIRTH VENTUS B/16
  Date: 10/26/2007     Time: 2000

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: SALIDA   State: CO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM TOW PLANE, THE ONE
  PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, WRECKAGE LOCATED ON METHODIST MOUNTAIN
  SIX MILES FROM SALIDA, CO

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: VFR

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO  (NM03)                    Entry date: 10/29/2007

FMI: www.coloradowingcap.org, www.schempp-hirth.com/