Copied from the ASA forum, let's all be nice to our
local ER docs and vascular surgeons.
SNIP_

An update... today I talked with several pilots who
witnessed the 'event'. Downwind leg (low pass)over
the runway was 'not fast' but Joe initiated a sharp
pull-up into a right turn that he was not able to get
out of. The Balenik's right wing hit the ground about
50 ft from the edge of the grass runway and the glider
nose slammed in, spinning the glider around on impact.
The front of the glider was ripped off, exposing the
pedals, but somehow caused no foot / leg injuries to
the gal passenger. As it turned out, her only injury
was a small (fingernail sized) forehead bump that took
2 stitches. She was immediately released from the hospital
and was on her way for the rest of her 'vacation trip.'


The wing ripped the fuselage metal, pushing it into
the pilot's area, which is what sliced into Joe's neck.
As luck would have it, the chief thorassic surgeon
in town was driving past the gliderport and witnessed
the crash. He stopped, jumped the fence, and ran to
the glider, immediately assessing the situation and
putting pressure on the torn carotid artery...which
he held in the amblance all the way to the hospital..
saving Joe's life... plus 2 hours in surgery. Not to
mention how fast the local emergency folks responded
to the call. The airport is 2 miles north of town,
4 miles from the hospital. Joe's in 'fair' condition,
doing ok, also with a broken knee cap.

The day was one of the calmest in recent weeks, so
it is doubtful that 'wind' had much of any part of
the crash. Just low and slow downwind and no bouyant
air like we get at Turf.

On a brighter note... 2 locals flew to Taos today,
dropping in on some sort of fly-in, and I tagged along
but also flew back to Durango. A bit of work at first,
then some BOOMING thermals, some to 15kts to 17k. Clouds
over the high mountains were still producing lots of
snow, so no flying that way yet. Maybe next week. Fly
safe ya'll.


Ted Grussing Start of thread: posted - 3 June 2004
22:20
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Just received an email from Bob Thompson - not a good
day up there, but thanks be that the events went well
this time and it appears we didn't lose anyone. Fly
safe.

'A terrible day at Val Air today... not for me, but
Joe Dulin... a recently transplanted Turf pilot. Joe
has been flying tourists for ValAir and today stalled?spun?
in in the L-13 with a passenger on the end of the runway
after a low pass and steep pull-up. The lady was taken
to the hospital with a bad head bash/cut and Joe's
main injury was a torn carottid artery... blood everywhere.
Handily, the amblance was there in 4 minutes and he
was in surgery within 1/2 hr... for over 2 hours. Amazingly,
in the amblance was a vascular surgeon, so Joe had
the best possible care fromt the onset.'
SNIP






At 23:06 04 June 2004, James wrote:
http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/art...asp?article_ty
pe=news&article_path=/news/04/news040604_1.htm

Two people were injured Thursday when a glider plane
crashed while
landing at the Val-Air Gliderport in the Animas Valley
north of
Durango.

The pilot, Joe Dulin, was taken to Mercy Medical Center
with a severe
cut to the throat, said Beverly St. Clair, whose husband
owns the
glider port. Dulin was undergoing surgery at 5:55 p.m.,
she said. He
was later listed in fair condition.

A passenger, Virginia Gourley, was also taken to Mercy
Medical Center
where she was treated and released, according to a
hospital spokesman.