What happened
On August 31, 2016, a recreational sightseeing flight ended in a fatal accident near Wijewo, located in the Leszno Lake District. The pilot was operating a Dudek Nucleon 29 paraglider equipped with a Fresh Breeze Simonini engine. After approximately 50 minutes of flight, while maintaining an altitude of about 40 meters, the aircraft encountered turbulent air. This turbulence caused a one-sided wing collapse.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the user/operator, established that the weather conditions at the time of the accident involved a wind from 340 degrees at a speed of 3 m/s, accompanied by turbulence. The pilot held a PGP qualification with a total flight time of 102 hours.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a flight technique error, specifically a delayed or improper reaction to the wing collapse.
- The collapse was triggered by the aircraft entering an area of turbulent air.
- The pilot's inability to manage the collapse led to an increased rotation and a rapid loss of altitude, resulting in the impact with the ground.
- The pilot sustained fatal injuries during the collision.