Plane Crash Kills Pilot Towing Glider

Fri., June 4, 1999

The pilot of an airplane that was towing a glider was killed Thursday when the plane crashed and burned at the Ephrata airport.

The glider, also carrying one person, landed safely, said Mitch Barker of the Federal Aviation Administration in Seattle.

Barker said the line towing the glider broke, and the glider then flew above the tow plane, a Piper Cub.

“The tow plane stalled and nose-dived onto the ramp at the airport,” he said. The cause of the crash was not immediately determined.

The dead pilot was not immediately identified, pending notification of relatives.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, Barker said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.