What happened
On September 9, 2018, a training flight incident occurred at the Zegrze Pomorskie (EPKZ) airfield involving a student paraglider. During a winch-assisted takeoff, the student pilot experienced a slight deviation in course immediately after the wing lifted off the ground. In an attempt to correct this deviation, the pilot applied deep brake input. This maneuver caused the paraglider to lose stability, resulting in the pilot falling to the ground from a height of approximately 3 to 4 meters.
Weather conditions at the time of the incident were favorable, with a light headwind measured at 1-2 m/s, and the meteorological conditions were not a contributing factor to the event.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the sequence of maneuvers performed by the student pilot during the critical moments of the winch launch. The investigation established that the pilot's attempt to correct the flight path through excessive braking led to the uncontrolled descent.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the incorrect control input by the student pilot during the winch launch.
- The pilot sustained a dislocated arm as a result of the impact with the ground.