San Diego lifeguards rescued a 59-year-old man from the rocky cliffs below the Torrey Pines Gliderport Wednesday afternoon.
The man's wife identified him as Erick Stevens.
His wife told NBC 7 that Stevens' glider went over the edge and then "swirled" back toward the cliffs.
Rescue crews jumped into action after getting the call.
“Once we got on scene and established the location of the glider, we started getting lifeguards down there. The urgent goal is to get a medic there as quickly as possible. We also requested fire resources and the helicopter, said Lt. Rich Stropky with San Diego lifeguards.
A lifeguard, using a rope system, went down the cliff and stabilized the man. The victim was then lifted into a helicopter and flown to Scripps Memorial Hospital with back and neck pain.
Stevens' wife said he has been piloting gliders for two years.
