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DRAPER — A paraglider died when he crashed into an LDS church building Sunday morning, Draper police reported.
The pilot was Jim H. Petersen, 57, of Bluffdale, according to police.
Crews responded to a report of the crash at 8:55 a.m., just five minutes before services at the church building near 272 E. Traverse Point Road were about to begin, said Draper Police Sgt. Chad Carpenter.
Petersen was maneuvering a fan-powered glider when he crashed into the roof of the church, police said. He died at the scene.
"Something happened where he lost control and crashed," Carpenter said.
Witnesses indicated the hang glider chute partially collapsed, causing the glider to spiral downward, police said.
"We're talking to witnesses, gathering info to try to piece together what happened," Carpenter said.
Steve Howlett, a friend and flight buddy of Petersen, said everything seemed fine this morning when they launched from the Point of the Mountain, but they became separated.
Soon after, he found out his friend had crashed and died.
"He went out doing what he loved to do," Howlett said. "He truly loved this sport."
Howlett said he thinks his friend could have passed out in flight after not pulling his reserve chute. He said Petersen had several years of experience and flew 200 days a year, sometimes twice a day.
Police are investigating whether the crash could have been caused by either a malfunction with the glider or a medical condition of the pilot.
"It's one of those things you don't ever want to see happen," Carpenter said.
The church was evacuated shortly after the crash, Carpenter said, and services at the building were canceled for the rest of the day.
