Hang Gliding Crash In Milpitas Leaves 1 Dead, 1 Critically Hurt

MILPITAS, CA — A hang gliding crash in Milpitas left one person dead and a second critically injured, firefighters said.

The crash happened around noon Monday at Ed R. Levin County Park, the Milpitas Fire Department said in an Instagram post.

Deputy Russell Davis of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office told Bay Area News Group that the crash happened on the hillsides of the park, and that a man died and a woman was hurt. The woman was flown to a hospital with critical injuries, the fire department said.

It wasn't immediately clear if they were on separate hang gliders.

Ed Levin is open to pilots of all levels, including students, according to Wings of Rogallo. There are specific rating and experience requirements for each launch.

Pilots must be members of the U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and be a full or visiting member of the Wings of Rogallo Northern California Hang Gliding Association.

The Ed Levin park has training slopes at between 40-60 feet, a mid-hill launch at 150 feet, a main training hill at 300 feet, three launches at 600 feet and the top of the mountain at 1,750 feet. All of the launches are grassy slopes, and there are no trees or other obstructions, nor are there any "significant upwind obstacles," which can create difficult launch conditions.

Milpitas reportedly saw winds of up to 16 mph on Monday.