By Hillary Rosencrants May 13, 2017

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One person is confirmed dead in a glider accident at the Blair Airport just before 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) arrived at the scene at approximately 6:30 p.m. The agencies will be investigating the cause of the crash and reporting their findings in an accident report.

The victim, a 59-year-old male, is from Glenwood, Iowa. The man has been identified as Michael Boska.

"As far as the mechanics of the crash, it was in the process of taking off at the time," Lt. Aaron Barrow of the Blair Police Department said. "It's still in the process of being investigated."

Both Blair police and the Washington County Sheriff's Office both responded to the call. Bob Craig, the Omaha Soaring Club's treasurer, confirmed that the deceased was a member of the club.

"I wasn't there, but it was a takeoff accident," Craig said. "His canopy opened up, and in the process of reaching for the canopy to shut it, he lost control of the plane, essentially. He was on tow, just got off the ground, and lost control of the plane, which came back down and hit hard. That's what happened."

The victim was the sole occupant of the glider, which Barrow said is in numerous pieces near the accident's location. Police vehicles parked in a row to block the view of the crash site. It is unclear whether the wind was a factor in the crash.

County Attorney Scott Vander Schaaf has ordered an autopsy to be performed on the deceased to determine the exact cause of death. It was reported that he was already dead at the police's initial arrival.

Barrow said there is not a clear timeframe of when the FAA and NTSB will report their findings.

UNMC scientist dies in glider accident By Hillary Rosencrants Pilot Tribune May 16, 2017

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The victim of a glider crash Saturday at the Blair Municipal Airport has been identified as a scientist from Glenwood, Iowa.

The man, who has been identified as Michael Boska, 59, was the sole occupant of the glider. Boska was operating and owned an AS+ Limited AC4 glider.

Boska was a scientist and professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Department of Radiology, director of the bioimaging core and vice chairman of radiology research. The main focus of his work was to develop more sophisticated methods of disease detection.

Flying gliders was a favorite pastime of Boska's, who had been doing so since 1982. In 2012, he was named one of UNMC's distinguished scientists. He was also an avid skiier and played the congas.

“We learned from an early age that the world stands on three pillars: the pursuit of knowledge, kindness to others and hard work with devotion to cause," Howard Gendelman, fellow professor and friend of Boska, said. "Mike captured all three, then took each of them two steps forward — through his wholeness in wisdom, his zest for life and his breaking boundaries through adventure."

Boska leaves behind a wife, a son, a stepdaughter and a granddaughter. Boska's loss has radiated throughout the science and hang gliding communities. A statement was released by the Omaha Soaring Club following his death.

"The members of the Omaha Soaring Club are deeply saddened at the tragic loss of a fellow member in a glider accident that occurred at the Blair Municipal Airport on the afternoon of Saturday, May 13," it said. "Our prayers and support go out to his family. His loss is of great concern to each of us as fellow club members and glider pilots."

Boska was operating the glider amongst several other members of the club when the accident took place. It occurred during a takeoff sequence when the glider's canopy opened unexpectedly. The glider descended and crashed to the ground while still attached to the rope of the tow plane. The pilot's fatal injuries were reportedly caused by the impact.

According to the statement, Boska was current and qualified to fly the glider. Soaring Club treasurer Bob Craig stated that Boska was an experienced flyer with no past incidents. The club has been active for over 30 years, and no such incident has occurred in their history.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash. "This is the first time this has ever happened to us, and we're still learning what the process is," Craig said. "My feeling is that the FAA wants to be the first to investigate the details."

Craig said the club has had to cancel scheduled flying days several times this year due to inclement weather situations such as wind, rain and low clouds. The club typically will not fly if winds gust at or above 25 to 30 miles per hour.

"At the 3 o'clock time period, it was 22 miles per hour with gusts of 29 out of the south," Scott Dergan of the National Weather Service said of the wind conditions May 13. "There were gusts as high as 30, but some sustained winds were between 18 and 22 miles per hour."

The name of the pilot operating the tow plane has not yet been released, but Craig saidmany members of the club are qualified to fly the tow plane, and rotate the responsibility.

Omaha World Herald 17 May 2017

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Boska, Dr. Michael Douglas Age 59 Of Glenwood, IA, entered into rest on May 13, 2017 in Blair, NE. He was born November 17, 1957 in Detroit, MI. He was united in marriage to Margaret Smith on June 15, 1991 in Miamisburg, OH. Dr. Boska earned his PhD in Biophysical Chemistry of California, Berkeley. He was a Professor Vice Chairman in Radiology Research for the University Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He was a 32-year member of International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and also a member of the Omaha Soaring Club. Preceding Dr. Boska in passing were his grandparents. Survivors include his wife, Margaret Boska of Glenwood, IA; parents, Douglas Boska of Detroit, MI; Jacqueline Boska of Moscow, ID; other family members, Dan Mellon of Glenwood, IA; Melissa Mellon of Plattsmouth, NE; granddaughter, Savannah Mellon of Glenwood, IA; siblings: Kelly Phillips, Dave Boska, Diane Zoldos, Debbie Swalec, Doug Boska, Steve Pedicrew; numerous nieces, nephews, extended relatives and many colleagues and friends. A CELEBRATION OF LIFE will be held Friday, May 19, 2017, at 11am at the Malvern Community Building 501 Main Street, Malvern, IA 51551. Interment will be at a later date. A memorial fund is established for Dr. Michael Boska at Glenwood State Bank; 32 N. Walnut St. Glenwood, IA 51534. PETERSON MORTUARY 212 S. Locust, Glenwood, IA 712-527-4805 www.petersonmortuaryinc.com

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~