Chicago

1 Hospitalized, 1 Body Recovered After Glider Goes Down in Fox River

Authorities found the glider in the water near the Dayton Dam near Ottawa

One person was hospitalized and the body of a second person recovered Tuesday morning after an aircraft described as a "two-person ultralight" crash-landed in the Fox River in Dayton, about 80 miles southwest of Chicago.

The LaSalle County Sheriff's Office was notified of the crash at about 11 p.m. Monday. Responding authorities found the glider in the water near the Dayton Dam, off North 3103rd Road, with a yellow parachute sticking out.

Nicholas Peterson -- the pilot of the aircraft -- was able to swim to shore. The Arizona man was taken to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in nearby Ottawa. The body 50-year-old Jeffrey A. Carpenter, of Chicago, was recovered at about 6:45 a.m.

"We believe it happened about 8:30 and the one individual was able to get out of the crash and he later called for help shortly after 10 [p.m.] or thereabouts," said Chief Mick Garrison with the Marseilles Fire Protection District.

The lack of water control at the Dayton Dam hampered rescue efforts.

"The current is really fast. It's over 7,000 feet per second, which is extremely swift water -- flood stage," Garrison said. "The water's not that deep but you can't walk in it. It'll wipe you right away."

Garrison said the aircraft took off from the nearby headquarters of Skydive Chicago, adding that he thought Peterson had taken several trips before the fatal flight. Reached via telephone, a representative of Skydive Chicago said the company does not plan to make a statement about the accident.

Authorities won't remove the glider from the water. Garrison said that responsibility falls upon the pilot.
 

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