History of the Flight
At approximately 1347 hours on 23 December 2021, an Ozone Buzz Z5 paraglider took off from Dragon's Back, a paragliding area in Shek O, Hong Kong. The pilot, flying solo, planned to land on Rocky Bay Beach. Two paraglider pilots, including the accident pilot and a witness, had been preparing for the flight between 1315 and 1345 hours. The witness reported that wind conditions were considered suitable for take-off.
At approximately 1346 hours, the pilot began a reverse inflation, facing the canopy. He was suddenly lifted when the canopy was at about 45 degrees to the backward direction. He immediately turned 180 degrees and moved his upper body facing the normal take-off direction, but could not prevent the subsequent events.
At approximately 1349 hours, the paraglider descended towards a bush area west of Shek O Peak. The pilot was fatally injured in the accident.
Rescue Operation
At around 1409 hours, the witness called the Hong Kong Police Force for emergency help, reporting a paragliding pilot stranded on the hillside. The Fire Services Department, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Government Flying Service, launched a mountain rescue operation. At 1602 hours, the Government Flying Service located the pilot and paraglider on a hill slope of Shek O Peak, about half a kilometer southwest of the take-off point. The pilot was conveyed to Ruttonjee Hospital and was later certified dead.
Investigation Findings
The investigation found that the accident was probably caused by loss of control of the paraglider, resulting in an impact with the terrain that rendered neck injury to the pilot. The investigation team made one safety recommendation.