The Rochester man who died Saturday of injuries he suffered in a glider crash near the Dansville airport was a member of a local soaring club, authorities said.
The Livingston County 911 Center received a call reporting the accident at 3:30 p.m. The pilot, James J. Rizzo, 66, was flying alone when the crash happened in a field. Dansville firefighters and ambulance and sheriff's deputies got to the scene to find the damaged glider and Rizzo with serious injuries.
Rizzo was taken by Dansville ambulance to Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, where he later died.
The sheriff's office, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the accident.
Rizzo was a member of the Finger Lakes Soaring Club, based out of the Dansville Airport. According to the Finger Lakes Soaring Club website, the organization is a not-for-profit group with approximately 40 members. The membership spans the gamut from beginners to nationally-ranked competition pilots.
The club website says it has a fleet of six gliders and two towplanes, along with about a dozen privately-owned aircraft. Flying activities begin in early April and extend through November.
Glider aircraft operate without engines. Instead, they depend on their wing structure and stability to maintain lift.
The Rochester man who died Saturday of injuries he suffered in a glider crash near the Dansville airport was a member of a local soaring club, authorities said.
The Livingston County 911 Center received a call reporting the accident at 3:30 p.m. The pilot, James J. Rizzo, 66, was flying alone when the crash happened in a field. Dansville firefighters and ambulance and sheriff's deputies got to the scene to find the damaged glider and Rizzo with serious injuries.
Rizzo was taken by Dansville ambulance to Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, where he later died.
The sheriff's office, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the accident.
Rizzo was a member of the Finger Lakes Soaring Club, based out of the Dansville Airport. According to the Finger Lakes Soaring Club website, the organization is a not-for-profit group with approximately 40 members. The membership spans the gamut from beginners to nationally-ranked competition pilots.
The club website says it has a fleet of six gliders and two towplanes, along with about a dozen privately-owned aircraft. Flying activities begin in early April and extend through November.
Glider aircraft operate without engines. Instead, they depend on their wing structure and stability to maintain lift.
