What happened
On August 8, 2015, a paraglider pilot was flying a Chilly 2 (Skywalk) near Góra Żar. During the flight, the pilot was searching for thermals over the forested western part of the mountain. In the process of seeking lift, the pilot drifted away from the slope, which resulted in a loss of altitude and made it impossible to reach the primary landing site near the airfield.
As the pilot realized they could no longer reach the intended destination, they began searching for an alternative landing spot near Między andbrodzie Białskie. The pilot initially considered a meadow but abandoned it due to the presence of a pallet with concrete elements. Another potential site, known as 'lotniskowiec', was occupied by parked vehicles. Ultimately, the pilot selected a large, square meadow bounded by a roadway and high-voltage power lines, assessing it as a viable landing site under the existing wind conditions.
To approach this field, the pilot attempted a two-turn landing pattern. During the first turn, a gust of wind from the direction of the lake increased the pilot's speed. While executing the second turn, the pilot was only approximately two meters above the ground when another gust from the same direction occurred. Due to insufficient altitude to complete the turn and level out, the pilot struck the ground while still in a turn. The pilot attempted to position themselves to absorb the impact with the harness protector.
The investigation
The investigation, based on detailed statements provided by the pilot, established that the pilot's decision to continue searching for thermals was made too late, which prevented them from reaching the planned landing area. This forced the search for an emergency landing site.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a piloting error involving the improper planning of a landing approach in improvised terrain.
- A contributing factor was the delayed decision to cease searching for thermals, which necessitated the use of an emergency landing site.
- The pilot likely misjudged their altitude when deciding to perform two full turns in a restricted area, leading to an inability to level the flight path before impact.
- The pilot sustained a compressive fracture of a lumbar vertebra, though no neurological consequences were reported.