UPDATE: 6:56 PM
LIVINGSTON COUNTY — A glider crashed Saturday in Dansville, and the pilot has died. James Rizzo, 66, of Rochester, has been identified as the pilot.
Rizzo was a member of the Finger Lakes Soaring Club. He was not participating in a competition taking place at the time, run by the SSA (Soaring society of America). A total of 25 gliders and pilots from all over the east coast were competing in the race, which takes place every two years.
The glider crashed at Marks Brother’s Farm, and the victim was transported to Noyes Memorial Hospital where he later died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
The glider launched at around noon and the crash happened at 3:37 p.m. The visible damage to the glider includes the fuselage, or body, being snapped in half, and a broken wing tip.
The Livingston County Sheriff’s office, the FAA, and the NTSB are all investigating the accident. Undersheriff James Szcesniak, Major Chris Smith, Sgt. Michael Dougherty, Deputy Brandon Flickner, and Deputy Michael Williams were all on scene for the investigation.