British pilot killed on gliding trip celebrating his birthday

A BRITISH pilot was killed in a gliding accident as he celebrated his 60th birthday with his wife in South Africa.

Flybe captain Peter Reading hit the ground at 150mph after his glider went into a spin. He died instantly.

The dad-of-two, an experienced glider pilot, was on a gliding holiday with wife Ingrid, 59.

The previous day the pair had flown in a two-seater. But on TRAGEDY Pilot Peter Reading Monday he chose to fly alone, with plans to glide for over five hours. He was launched in a Jonker JS-1 Revelation from Gariep Dam Airfield in the centre of the country but crashed soon after. Manni Voigt, of the Gariep Dam Gliding Club, said: “He’s a very experienced glider pilot with over 6,000 flying hours.” Wife Ingrid, of Godalming, Surrey – mum of Guy, 28, and Gemma Louise, 26 – was said to be “inconsolable”.