Student Paraglider Sustains Injury During Assisted Launch

Casualties unknown • Borsk, PL

A student paraglider suffered an ankle injury in Borsk after failing to follow instructor commands during a winch-assisted launch.

What happened

On July 16, 2016, a student paraglider was performing a winch-assisted launch in Borsk. The student, who was in the process of completing the first stage of training and had previously completed four flights, was conducting the second of two planned launches for the day. The launch took place in wind conditions of approximately 1-2 m/s.

As the paraglider reached an altitude of about 3 meters, the student applied the control lines. Despite receiving radio instructions from the instructor, the student failed to respond correctly, instead pulling and releasing the lines alternately. Due to the student's erratic behavior, the instructor ordered the winch launch to be aborted. At the time of the abort, the student was at an altitude of between 10 and 15 meters.

Following the termination of the winch assistance, the NEMO 2 XL (Dudek Paragliders) wing began to dive and accelerate. The instructor continued to issue landing commands via radio, but the student did not react appropriately. Consequently, the wing was not braked before touchdown, and the flight path was not leveled. This resulted in a hard landing with increased forward speed and descent rate, causing the student to sustain a right ankle injury.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by improper takeoff technique, specifically incorrect control of the paraglider during the climb and a failure to follow the instructor's radio commands.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2016-07-16 NEMO 2 XL accident near Borsk, PL?

A student paraglider suffered an ankle injury in Borsk after failing to follow instructor commands during a winch-assisted launch.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2016-07-16 involved a NEMO 2 XL, at Borsk, PL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by improper takeoff technique, specifically incorrect control of the paraglider during the climb and a failure to follow the instructor's radio commands.

Investigation report by the Polish State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL). Original record: https://pkbwl.gov.pl/raporty/2016-1728/. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the Panstwowa Komisja Badania Wypadkow Lotniczych (PKBWL), Poland.

Loading the flight search…

What you can do on Flight Finder

  • Search flights between any two airports with live fares.
  • By aircraft — pick a plane model (e.g. Boeing 787, Airbus A350) and see every route it flies from your origin.
  • Route map — click any airport worldwide to explore its destinations, or draw a radius to find nearby airports.
  • Global aviation safety — aviation accident database, 40,000+ records since 1980, with map and rankings by aircraft and operator.
  • NTSB safety feed — recent U.S. aviation accidents and incidents from the official NTSB CAROL database, updated daily.