Gorgeous day... clear blue sky, dry air, and smoke from Quebec forest fires just to N and E but wind shift into SW at 1pm protected this area! Avg spd after 1st 15 miles: 12 mph. Mountainside Market coffee/bake shop closed at 1 pm today due to Memorial Day Holiday, so had a pizza next door at Princeton Pizza (exactly the way I like a pie- thin crust w/ just the right amt of red sauce and cheese (and a high quality cheese!!) and a banana for dessert. Next stop: Sterling Airport. Witnessed first plane crash ever. I noticed a single engine Cessna type plane on his "downwind" approach, except it was upwind (thought to myself that was kind of strange)!! Then saw him on final approach clearing the I-190 highway. He landed hard on runway downwind about 2/3 to 3/4 of way down runway, bounced up and then back and forth between front wheel and two back wheels, finally settling down hard, never slowing, then sounded like started skidding, and then sound of breaking branches/brush as the plane fell off the end of runway and disappeared down a 25 ft dropoff. Two glider pilots tying down a glass ship and I ran over as one of them dialed "911", no smoke or fire or smell of fuel, a woman was climbing out of cockpit as one of the glider pilots hollered to her asking if everyone was ok; she said everyone was alright; he then told her fire rescue was on the way and would help get them up from the ravine, and then he asked if fuel was shut off. Then the operations mgr told us all to clear the runway as a power plane was incoming on final, 5 miles out. Ambulance showed up first, then fire rescue SUV, then police cruisers, and finally a ladder truck and a pumper. Saw a state trooper on his way after I left to get an ice cream cone before heading back home. I was the first to ask why the pilot was landing downwind... being a cyclist, am always aware of the winds. They had been light out of N and NE less than 5 mph up until noon, then shifted to S and SW 10 to 15 mph by 2 pm. This crash occurred around 3:30 pm . There were 2 orange wind socks which clearly were showing the wind direction. One of the glider pilots thought he could have veered left onto the grass and would have had plenty of room to slow down (power pilots must not think of this option). There was a beautiful wave cloud over Wachusett Mtn. from about 2 pm on... still there when I left the area! Meadowbrook Orchards closed today for Holiday, so had a kidde (one scoop) ice cream cone (mocha chip) at Rota Spring Farms ("a herd of flavor in every scoop"). Returning home, saw about 7 members of 7HW Monday night ride (no official ride today) coming at me at steep downhill on Bailey Rd in Holden, then saw more straglers possibly along Reservoir Rd. Ambient air ventilation today: excellent. Ride started and ended around 72 F with dew pt 49 F, but mid-ride rose to 78 F and dew pt upper 50s F, winds at start light N and NE, shifting to S and SW 10-20 mph.