On Tuesday, August 28, 2012 9:22:58 PM UTC-4, jack gilbert wrote:
On Sunday, August 26, 2012 12:11:45 AM UTC-4, Jp Stewart wrote: From TA's Dansville contest write-up: "Unfortunately, we were also saddened to hear of yet another apparent stall-spin fatality; Jim Rizzo, Finger Lakes club president and FAA Designated Examiner for the area was killed when his glider crashed into a farmer’s field not far from the Dansville airport. Jim was not part of the contest and was just flying locally when the accident occurred. All we know is what the farmer said (and this is 3rd hand to me) that apparently Jim was trying to thermal away from a low altitude and spun in (sound familiar? – it should – this is the 3rd almost identical fatality this season here on the east coast)." http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/day-6...ille-region-3/ JP You all seem to "assume" that Jim was intentionally trying to execute controlled flight at a low altitude. He may,.... have experienced an extreme crisis, ie heart attack. JG

The issue of pilot incapacitation is part of this investigation. This is an appropriate part of any investigation.
That said, the sailplane was seen circling over one corner of the field, then shifted to another corner where it started to circle and subsequently departed from controlled flight.
This based upon 2 eyewitness accounts that I heard reported.
If I were in crisis, I wouldn't be circling, I'd be trying to land right now.
My personal impression, with information available at this time, leads me to believe this is a judgement error, possibly contributed to by dehydration..
It is common after accidents for people to think "he was too good a pilot to make such a mistake- it must be medical. None of us are that good so we must fly in ways that reduce the consequences of our mistakes.
Again FWIW
UH