A heartbreaking accident on Lookout Mountain has claimed the lives of two people after a tandem hang-glider crashed shortly after takeoff on Tuesday afternoon.
Emergency radio traffic captured the urgency of the response: “Hang-glider down. It’s probably about 40 feet, bottom of the bluff.” First responders from Dade County and multiple agencies geared up to repel down the rugged mountainside to reach the crash site. Despite their efforts, officials confirmed that both victims died from their injuries at the scene.
Among the victims was Richard Westmoreland, 37, identified by family as a vibrant and adventurous spirit. His younger brother, Ashton, shared that Richard was known for beginning every video with his signature phrase: “What’s up, big beautiful world?!”
“He saw the world in a way most never can. Always optimistic, always with a twinkle in his eyes, and always with a smile,” Ashton said. “I think everyone could stand to be a little more like him.”
Richard began hang gliding years ago at Kitty Hawk Kites in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. With his passion and skill, he went on to share the skies with countless others, most recently in Switzerland’s breathtaking Alps.
Authorities say the investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.
