What happened
On October 19, 2019, at approximately 14:00 local time, a pilot arrived at the Góra Żar paragliding site in Międzybroles Żywieckie for recreational flight operations. After completing all pre-flight procedures, including wing layout and harness checks, the pilot initiated takeoff.
At an altitude of approximately 10 meters, the aircraft encountered a sudden and powerful gust of wind. The wind initially struck the pilot from behind before rapidly shifting to a headwind. This abrupt change in wind direction and intensity caused the Sol Ellus 3M wing to collapse. The pilot fell to the ground, sustaining injuries that required medical intervention by emergency services and subsequent transport to a hospital in Bielsko-Biała via an LPR helicopter.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the atmospheric conditions and the sequence of events during the takeoff phase. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held a valid PGP qualification and was not under the influence of alcohol. The inquiry established that the meteorological conditions played a decisive role in the occurrence of the accident.