What happened
On May 26, 2016, a student pilot was participating in recreational winch-assisted flights at the Pilskie Aero Club. The flight involved a KANTEGA XC2 M (UP) paraglider. The weather conditions were favorable, characterized by laminar wind from 210 degrees at a speed of 3 m/s.
During the launch, which began at approximately 18:02, the winch provided low initial tension. As the paraglider reached an altitude of approximately 1 meter, the wing began to veer to the left. The launch manager observed that the tow line had snagged on the grassy ground several meters ahead of the pilot. The instructor, acting as the launch manager, immediately issued commands for the pilot to apply right brake input. However, the student failed to respond to these instructions.
As the aircraft reached an altitude of about 2 meters, the line cleared the obstacle, but the pilot's lack of corrective action caused the left turn to deepen. To prevent further complications, the instructor ordered the winch operator to stop the winch. Consequently, the line tension ceased, and the pilot began to lose altitude. The student continued the leftward turn and landed perpendicular to the launch direction without reducing speed. The maximum altitude reached during the incident was approximately 3 meters.
Following the landing, the student reported numbness and pain in the left leg, prompting an emergency medical response. While an X-ray was performed to check for fractures, it was later confirmed that the pilot had only sustained a bruised heel.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the winch launch, the instructor's commands, and the pilot's reaction. The inquiry examined the condition of the launch area and the pilot's recent flight history, noting that the student had not performed winch launches since October 2015.