SOUTH AFRICA
71-year-old glider pilot killed in freak accident December 29, 2003 (Star
News report by Ingrid Oellermann)

An afternoon of gliding ended in tragedy after a mid-air collision between two
gliders.

Police said the facts of yesterday's collision, in which 71-year-old Robin
Reynolds of Pietermaritzburg was killed, were still sketchy because the other
pilot, Oscar Kohler, had not yet made a statement.

Kohler had reported the incident after landing safely at Merrivale Airport and
had left.

Reynolds' glider crashed on a farm in the Merrivale district at about 1.20pm,
according to Captain Joshua Gwala. Police recovered Reynolds' body from the
wreckage.

Civil aviation authorities said they would investigate the incident. Reynolds'
daughter Jenny described her father as an experienced member of the Howick
Gliding Club. "When he joined at 60 years of age, he was their oldest pupil
pilot," she said.
Reynolds normally flew on Saturdays, but because of the bad weather on
Saturday, he had taken to the air yesterday instead.
"We believe he had been in the air for about an hour when the crash happened,"
his daughter said. "It seems to have been a freak accident."
Reynolds was to have celebrated his 44th wedding anniversary with his wife
Helen next month. He is also survived by his son Peter.