Glider crash at Moriarty

On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 5:06:26 PM UTC-6, Mike the Strike wrote:
The aircraft was found very close to locations indicated by SPOT and FLARM, even though there was only one SPOT fix in the general area. The wreckage was difficult to find because it consists of very small pieces and is on a slope. The initial search also only started in late afternoon a few hours before sunset. We do not know if more location data would have helped.

Mike

Indeed. Local search efforts did not find the wreckage despite hours over the area. This CAP article will show why. http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news/...n ewsID=20326
A few years ago, local pilots did find the wreckage of Stu Kissel's glider, but had they missed it, a little more than a day later it would have been hidden by winter snows for months.

Condolences to Joe's children and grandchildren.

Frank Whiteley
SSA Director, Region 9

On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 8:40:52 PM UTC-7, Frank Whiteley wrote:

Indeed. Local search efforts did not find the wreckage despite hours over the area. This CAP article will show why. http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news/...n ewsID=20326

Now that opens a whole new can of worms. Distributed wreckage as described in that article is strongly indicative of in-flight breakup.

I would take the CAP report with a pinch of salt since there was no cellphone data to analyze and the location of the site was identified by FLARM and not by radar.

The disposition of the wreckage has not been confirmed, but photos I have seen appear to show most in one location.

Most of the factual data I have seem to conflict with the CAP report!

Mike