Midair Collision Kills Saratoga Springs Man in Edinburg
A Saratoga Springs man is dead following a midair collision between two gliders near the Town of Edinburg.
James Morzillo, 80 of Saratoga Springs was killed on Sept. 18, 2026, when the glider he was piloting collided with another glider during a flight between the Saratoga Country Airport in Milton and the Piseco Airport, according to New York State Police. The incident occurred around 2:26 p.m.
According to an FAA notice, the incident occurred when the left wing of Morzillo’s glider, identified by records as a Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2b, struck the nose of another glider, which was identified by records as a Schleicher ASW-24.
The glider with nose damage was able to successfully land at Plateau Sky Ranch Airport in Edinburg. Its pilot was uninjured.
After the collision, New York State Police, New York State Forest Rangers, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and numerous other agencies initiated a search for the down glider, eventually finding it around 4:54 p.m. in a remote area near Sand Lake Road in Edinburg. At the crash site, troopers found the glider’s lone occupant, later identified as Morzillo dead at the scene.
The crash marks the third deadly aircraft accident in Saratoga County in less than a year and is the second glider involved accident in less than six months. Prior to the October 30, 2025, crash near Saratoga County Airport, the County hadn’t seen a fatal accident since 2014.
The latest crash is under investigation by the NTSB.
An obituary published in Saratoga TODAY, (which can be found on our website or on page four), said Morzillo was a Navy Veteran and long time teacher at Maple Avenue Middle School where he taught 7th grade science from 1977- 2001. After retiring from teaching, Morzillo became a flight instructor and developed an interest in gliders.
FAA pilot records show that he held several certifications including single engine rating for both land and sea flight, multiengine rating for land flight and instrument flight, instructor ratings for gliders, single engine airplanes, and instrument flight, a remote pilot certification and an advanced ground instructor certification.
Outside the classroom and cockpit, Morzillo was active in the Saratoga community, volunteering with several organizations including the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He also served as a Docent at the New York State Military Museum and an usher at SPAC. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked for donations to donations to the Wilton Wildlife Preserve, the Adirondack Soaring Association’s Junior Kids Learning to Fly Program, or Saratoga Plan.
In the comments of his obituary, Morzillo was remembered by students and fellow pilots for being a great teacher and instructor with many comments noting his compassion, wit and knowledge.