What happened
On June 28, 2015, a tandem paragliding flight took place near the cliffs in Trzęsacz. The flight was part of a commercial service offered by a group of pilots on the beach. A passenger, who was walking with her family, decided to participate in the flight.
Shortly after takeoff from the base of the cliff, approximately 10 seconds into the flight, the paraglider reached a height of about one meter above the cliff edge. During this maneuver, the left side of the wing likely experienced a side collapse, possibly caused by a line snagging on the cliff. As the pilot attempted to correct the situation by pulling the right brake, the left stabilizer lines became entangled with roots protruding from the cliff face. This caused the paraglider to turn back toward the cliff, resulting in a collision between the aircraft and the cliff wall. The impact caused the passenger to suffer serious injuries, specifically a fracture of the right lower leg with a dislocation of the ankle joint.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation established that the pilot was operating without a valid qualification certificate, which had expired in December 2010. Furthermore, the pilot lacked the specific authorization required to perform tandem flights, as his existing credentials only covered pre-flight inspections. The investigation also found that the paraglider lacked the required registration card for tandem operations and that the pilot did not hold mandatory third-party liability insurance. Additionally, the pilot had not completed required medical examinations. The commission noted that the accident was reported by the victim rather than the pilot or the police.