A glider crashed just before 3:45 p.m. in a field near a flight school on County Road 210 in Bertram, according to Burnet County firefighters who spoke with Chron.
The Federal Aviation Administration said only one person, the pilot, was aboard the PZL-Bielsko glider. The pilot died in the crash. Authorities have not released the person’s identity or said what caused the aircraft to go down.
The FAA and NTSB will be leading the investigation into the deadly crash.
Firefighters said there is no danger to the public and residents have not been asked to avoid the area.
Unlike a traditional airplane, a glider is designed to stay airborne without relying on continuous engine power. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, gliders use altitude and rising air currents to remain aloft, essentially trading height for forward motion once they are launched or towed into the air.
According to Fault Line Flyers’ website, the Bertram-based group describes itself as a club created to “promote, educate and encourage participation in the sport of soaring.” The organization is a nonprofit corporation and local chapter of the Soaring Society of America.
The club operates on weekends from a club-owned airport in Briggs, about 15 miles southeast of Bertram, where it has a 4,800-foot grass runway. It offers flight instruction to members, including programs for people working toward a private pilot glider license or adding a glider rating to an existing airplane license.
Ahmed Humble
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