"Very Windy" Conditions May Have Contributed To Potential For Error

A weekend of Northern California soaring has turned tragic for two pilots... one in a Schleicher sailplane and the other in a Piper PA-25 Towplane. Reports from the scene indicate that the accident at Crazy Creek gliderport in Northern California occurred as both aircraft turned in for landing -- from opposite directions.

The glider had gone off tow fairly early in the flight and returned using a right hand pattern... the towplane was using the standard left hand pattern. Only the sailplane was (so far) reported to be radio-equipped.

Schleicher ASW-27

The area is in the midst of rising terrain and gusty winds are said to often be fairly turbulent.

According to initial NOAA Accident reports, the Saturday accident involved a "Schleicher ASW-27 glider (N127AL) inbound on right base collided in flight with Piper PA-25 (N7023Z) inbound on left base, east of the Crazy Creek Glider Port near Middletown, CA at 1900Z. Both aircraft substantially damaged. Two pilots fatally injured."

PA-25 Pawnee

Sources have ID'ed the glider pilot as Hal Chouinard (63) and the PA-25 Pilot as Sean Boylan. Local weather reports identified a number of peak gusts in excess of 30 knots... some considerably so. Both aircraft impacted the ground within 100 yards of each other.

FMI: www.crazycreekgliders.com