PARAGONAH – A 65-year-old glider pilot from Littleton, Colo., Michael Packard, was killed June 29 near Paragonah when his small plane crashed on the first day of the annual glider competition.

The glider departed from the Parowan airport by being towed into the air by a small airplane, which is how non-motorized gliders are launched.

At approximately 1,800 feet, Packard released his glider from the towrope and went into a spin. He was able gain partial control, but went into a dive and hit the ground less than three miles from the airport, at about 500 W. 1500 North in Paragonah, Iron County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Pallesen said.

The sheriff’s office was notified at 2:32 p.m.

Witnesses, who were parked along the highway from Parowan to Paragonah watching the gliders take off, responded to the area and found Packard dead. Law enforcement arrived at 2:49 and confirmed the death, an Iron County Sheriff’s Office press release reported.

Pallesen said seven deputies and three Utah Highway Patrol troopers responded to the scene. On June 30, Federal Aviation Administration officials arrived and went over the scene with investigators, the press release reported.

Packard had been to the Parowan contest in 2008 and was reported to be a very good glider pilot, according to the press release.

“It’s a tragic thing,” Pallesen said.

He said they have had calls in other years when the gliders pilots had to set their crafts down before reaching the Parowan airport, but this is the first fatality in the Parowan competition he is aware of.

The plane had a motor, possibly just for self-launching, but it was not working on the day of the accident, Pallesen said.

Event representatives were unavailable for comment, but before the event Contest Manager Micki Minner said the annual competition has about 60 participants and is a popular contest because of the unique geography that makes the air lifts and currents ideal for gliding.

Gliders, after being released from the tow plane, soar soundlessly through the sky, relying on air lifts, and pilot skill, to give them altitude.

The contest continued throughout the week.