Glider's Heavenly Landing: A Miraculous Mistake?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (CBS13) — At South Lake Tahoe's Heavenly Ski Resort, the run turned into a runway on Sunday, and staff at the resort are fuming over the pilot's potentially deadly decision.

The pilot says his last resort was to land right on a beginner ski slope, a first-time landing for a pilot with four decades of experience.

The plane usually takes passengers from Minden, Nev., to Lake Tahoe. They even dip down pretty close to Heavenly, but have never landed there until now.

"We're pretty outraged," Heavenly's Russ Pecoraro said. "This shouldn't have happened. We think it's irresponsible and selfish on behalf of the pilot and this company to put their plane in a crowded ski resort."

But the owner of Soaring NV says her pilot didn't have a choice.

"As good as we get to read the skies, the clouds and winds were surprising," Laurie Harden said.

On Super Bowl Sunday the odds were not on the pilot's side. Because the motor-less gliders are at the mercy of the air, if the air sinks so does the plane.

"He kept a cool head and did a remarkable job getting the glider on the ground," Harden said.

The plane's wingspan is about 60 feet so the ski run was just wide enough giving him enough room to land.

"He landed uphill to avoid snowboarders," Harden said. "He sat down when he saw them coming."

Some may say it was a miracle on the mountain, with no one hurt and not even a scratch on the plane.

But Heavenly is convinced anywhere else would have been safer to steer than on a busy beginner run.

"He narrowly missed our tram, narrowly missed our California lodge, narrowly missed the lift," Pecoraro said.