57-year-old Minnesota man killed in hang-gliding accident near Whitewater

COLD SPRING, Wis. (AP) — Sheriff's officials say a Minnesota man has died in a hang-gliding accident in southern Wisconsin.

Authorities say the 57-year-old Taylor Falls man was hang gliding at an airport north of Whitewater on Monday, September 29th when his glider caught a wind shear, which caused it to pitch to one side and nosedive about 100 feet.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jeff Parker says the wingtip of the victim's glider struck another glider that was tethered to the ground, causing the aircraft to flip over.

Parker tells the Daily Union (http://bit.ly/1u8VgaQ ) the man was visiting a friend in Whitewater and the pair had been hang gliding the past several days at Gutzmer's Twin Oaks Airport, which is home to the Whitewater Hang Gliding Club.

He says the man, who has not been named, was experienced in the sport.