What happened
On July 16, 2017, a training flight involving a Compact 2 M paraglider took place at a training slope in Radziechowy Wieprz. The flight was being conducted by a student pilot as part of a paragliding instructional program. During the approach to landing, the student pilot failed to respond to the instructor's command to flare the wing. This lack of braking resulted in a premature touchdown. Upon impact, the student pilot failed to maintain a proper landing stance and fell onto their knees.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator, established that the meteorological conditions at the time of the incident were favorable, with winds measured between 7 and 10 km/h. The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing maneuver and the student's adherence to instructor commands.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was pilot error, specifically the failure to flare the paraglider wing during the landing phase.
- The student pilot experienced knee pain following the impact but declined medical assistance after a period of rest.
- The incident was not influenced by weather conditions.