Tandem Accident

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Charlie Baughman

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Oct 1, 2025, 2:03:29 PMOct 1
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2 people on tandem flight died right after launch at Lookout MT.  No details yet.

CB

Steve Roderick

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Oct 1, 2025, 2:07:09 PMOct 1
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Bummer.

From: pine-mount...@googlegroups.com <pine-mount...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Charlie Baughman <circle.wi...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 11:03:00 AM
To: pine-mount...@googlegroups.com <pine-mount...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Tandem Accident
 
2 people on tandem flight died right after launch at Lookout MT.  No details yet.

CB

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Patrick Kruse

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Oct 1, 2025, 2:21:46 PMOct 1
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So sorry to hear this news. 

Thanks Charlie,

Patrick 

On Oct 1, 2025, at 11:07 AM, Steve Roderick <skym...@msn.com> wrote:



Classicaviator

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Oct 1, 2025, 9:11:13 PMOct 1
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It was Richard “Wind Gypsy”. Very sad. 

Stephan. 


On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 'Patrick Kruse' via Pine Mountain Pilots <pine-mount...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
So sorry to hear this news. 

Thanks Charlie,

Patrick 

On Oct 1, 2025, at 11:07 AM, Steve Roderick <skym...@msn.com> wrote:


Bummer.


Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 11:03:00 AM
2 people on tandem flight died right after launch at Lookout MT.  No details yet.

CB

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Charlie Baughman

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Oct 4, 2025, 1:58:33 AMOct 4
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They failed to hook up the control bar corner bracket.

I know of several flights where the control bar corner came loose and the pilot was able to hold the control bars together long enough to either reassemble or land with this problem.

CB

On Wed, Oct 1, 2025 at 6:11 PM Classicaviator <n22...@gmail.com> wrote:
It was Richard “Wind Gypsy”. Very sad. 

Stephan. 

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 'Patrick Kruse' via Pine Mountain Pilots <pine-mount...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
So sorry to hear this news. 

Thanks Charlie,

Patrick 

On Oct 1, 2025, at 11:07 AM, Steve Roderick <skym...@msn.com> wrote:


Bummer.


Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 11:03:00 AM
2 people on tandem flight died right after launch at Lookout MT.  No details yet.

CB

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Classicaviator

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Ken Millard

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Oct 4, 2025, 3:15:06 AMOct 4
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Richard Westmoreland and Tim Glenshaw. Both were experienced tandem instructors. Richard was a tandem instructor at Lookout for years but recently got work flying tandems in Interlaken Switzerland. I knew him from the competition circuit. Great guy. Very likeable and very well liked and respected. Flying season in Switzerland is shutting down so he was planning on heading to New Zealand and teach there but he stopped by his old stomping ground Lookout mountain. Tim flew Dragonflies for aerotow and was also a tandem instructor. A fixture at Lookout Mountain and likely an old friend of Richard's. Looks like the two buddies decided to fly a tandem together. 

A terrible loss for their families and for the flying community.

There was an informal report today indicating the cause was that the control bar was not properly attached to the upright corner bracket. A really easy mistake to make during setup since Wills Wing eliminated the cast corner brackets on the Falcon 2 or 3. I know of one PNW pilot who made that mistake but the airframe maintained its integrity, allowing them to land and fly again. Apparently Richard and Tim's weight stressed the glider enough that without the strength from the sidewires, the wing folded up. 



My condolences to their families and friends. 

Ken Millard 



On Wed, Oct 1, 2025, 11:03 AM Charlie Baughman <circle.wi...@gmail.com> wrote:
2 people on tandem flight died right after launch at Lookout MT.  No details yet.

CB

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Charlie Baughman

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Oct 4, 2025, 1:18:17 PM (14 days ago) Oct 4
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Thanks Ken for that information.

CB

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