A Boulder man died Wednesday morning in an ultralight glider crash near Berthoud.
At around 8:40 a.m., Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a report about an aircraft crash in the 3600 block of West County Road 2, according to a Larimer County The location of the crash was previously reported as 9000 North County Line Road. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, the Berthoud Fire Protection District and Thompson Valley EMS responded to the scene and found the glider crashed with one man inside, said LCSO Public Information Officer Kate Kimble.
The glider caught fire and firefighters extinguished the flames, but the man was dead inside, according to the news release.
The preliminary investigation indicated that the glider hit electrical lines before falling onto the dirt road; however, the exact cause of the crash is still under investigation. Several power lines and poles in the area were damaged.
The news release added that around 55 Poudre Valley REA members lost power, but PVREA crews were able to restore power to all but three homes. PVREA remained on scene to manage downed power lines and to keep first-responders at the scene safe, Kimble said. No other injuries or damage were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration was also notified of the crash, but because of the type of glider, the administration determined the case would remain under LCSO’s jurisdiction. The man’s name and cause of death will be released at a later time, according to the news release.
“Losing someone you care about is never easy, but a sudden loss like this is especially tough,” said LCSO Sergeant Justin Williamson in the news release. “We’ll keep this man’s family and our wider aviation community in our thoughts during the difficult days to come.”
