An 84-year-old glider pilot found himself in a precarious situation after his aircraft crashed into a tree, leaving him suspended 20 feet above ground in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest, this dramatic scene unfolding late Sunday afternoon as the experienced aviator, Henry Swayze of Turnbridge, Vermont, faced unexpected challenges upon his return flight from Canon Mountain in Franconia, as reported by NBC Boston.
Swayze, who had launched from Post Mills, Vermont, around 2 p.m., encountered difficulty in maintaining lift and experienced a downdraft during his last attempt to navigate the ridge, which resulted in the crash near 4:20 p.m.; however, the pilot fortuitously was able to use his cell phone to text 911, this resourcefulness aiding in his rescue. NBC Boston detailed that the man was fortunate enough to have cell service.
Rescue personnel from the Haverhill, Hanover, and Lebanon fire departments, along with conservation officers and U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement, responded to the crash site accessible via U.S. Forest Service road, roughly a half-mile from the ensnared glider. According to WHDH, firefighters implemented a pulley and harness system to safely extract Swayze from his arboreal trap, their efforts culminating in his safe return to the ground before 10 p.m.
Prompt intervention by the assembled rescue teams ensured that the veteran pilot, who had been stuck for approximately three hours, ended up with no injuries. He was securely lowered to the ground before nightfall, MassLive highlighted. Fire department personnel reached the pilot around 6:55 p.m. and had him back out to the road before 9:50 p.m., in a display of seamless coordination among the multiple agencies involved, as reported by MassLive.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the incident and will be investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, as they were provided with Swayze's information and the location of the downed glider, a fact-finding process that follows any aviation accident, NBC Boston is further included in their coverage.
