Glider pilot survives after plunging into mountain 2,000ft up

Published on Monday 3 May 2010 22:53

A GLIDER pilot had to be airlifted to hospital after crashing into a mountain in the Cairngorms.

The man narrowly escaped serious injury and was able to raise the alarm himself by using a mobile phone to call police.

Last night he was recovering in hospital after being taken off the mountain by helicopter.

The pilot is a member of a gliding club from Lancashire which was taking part in an annual Mayfest flying event at the Cairngorm Gliding Club's Feshie airstrip, near Kincraig.

At about 1:10pm yesterday he crashed 2,000ft up Carn Ban Mor in the western area of the Cairngorms, about seven miles south east of Kincraig.

He suffered a suspected broken right ankle and various other injuries, although none is believed to be life threatening.

A Sea King helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth was scrambled and collected five members of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue team who were dropped on to the mountain.

They had to cut away part of the aircraft, including the cockpit, to release the trapped pilot and he was later flown to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Willie Anderson, the rescue team leader, said: "He was a lucky guy. He is an experience pilot by all accounts and managed to raise the alarm himself.

"We had the location spot on and the team found him quickly and proceeded to cut away the aircraft and got him on a stretcher and into the helicopter.

"The glider was fairly bashed up and he was trapped inside.

"He was also lucky that it was a good day and we could get a helicopter in."

The Cairngorm Gliding Club has been operating from the Feshie airstrip for more than 43 years. The area is described as an ideal soaring location, with superb conditions for ridge, wave and thermal cross-country flying.

The two-week Mayfest event started on Saturday and runs until Sunday, 16 May. It and a similar event in October attract glider pilots from all over the UK.

About 20 visitors are taking part in this year's event.

A spokesman for the flying club said: "A visiting pilot landed on top of a nearby hill and was evacuated by helicopter.

"As a precaution he was taken to Raigmore Hospital. We would like to thank the emergency services for their assistance."

He added: "Obviously it was a bad place to be stuck up the hill, but he was not unconscious.

"The glider was not too badly damaged, but getting it down will be another matter."

He said the man was an experienced pilot who had been visiting the area for at least ten years. While there were some snow showers on higher ground, conditions were said to be "average".

Donnie Ross, head stalker of the Glen Feshie Estate, said: "There is still a lot of snow on the mountain which would have cushioned any landing.

"There was an accident involving a glider on the mountain about 15 years ago, but nothing since. The pilots like to go near the mountain because of the thermal air currents."

The Air Accident Investigation Bureau has been informed and inquiry is being carried out.