NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

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INCIDENTS

Hawaii Volcanoes NP

Update On Fatal Glider Crash On Mauna Loa

Additional details have been provided on the fatal glider crash that occurred on Mauna Loa last Friday. D.B., 69, a former Air Force fighter pilot who flew in Vietnam and commercial pilot with Continental and Aloha Airlines, was towed in his glider from the Waimea Airport to the Island of Hawaii on January 16th for an attempt to set a record by soaring to 40,000 feet. D.B.'s last communication was just after 1 p.m., at which time he said that he was at 28,000 feet over Mauna Kea and was heading toward 13,677-foot Mauna Loa. The glider was reported overdue later that afternoon. Coast Guard, Hawaii Fire Department, Civil Air Patrol and volunteer aircraft joined in the search on January 17th. Debris was spotted that afternoon, but weather conditions precluded a landing at the site. On January 18th, rangers were flown to the main debris site, found D.B.'s body, and began an accident investigation. Additional debris was spotted within the park and residents of Volcano Village have turned in pieces of the glider found in their yards. The investigation resumed at the site yesterday. Pieces of the glider were moved to the CAP hanger in Hilo for assembly and investigation by the NTSB and FAA. [Talmadge Magno, Chief Ranger]

Clara Barton Parkway

One Killed, Four Injured In Head-on Collision

A Honda Civic and a Ford Explorer traveling in opposite directions on the parkway near Lock 6 collided around 5:30 a.m. on January 20th, killing the driver of the Honda, 24-year-old J.Q. of Annandale, Virginia. The four people in the Ford were taken to a local hospital and treated for their injuries. The parkway was closed in both directions between the Glen Echo turnaround and Chain Bridge Road. Park Police officers are investigating. [Sgt. Robert Lachance, USPP]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Department of the Interior - Ken Salazar, a fifth-generation Coloradan who served as the state's U.S. Senator, Attorney General and Director of Natural Resources, was confirmed yesterday by a unanimous vote in the U.S. Senate to become the 50th Secretary of the Interior.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7286" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7286

Delaware Water Gap NRA - Lisa Kross, 41, wife of Delaware Water Gap NRA supervisory park ranger Chris Kross, succumbed to cancer last Thursday.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2222" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2222

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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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