History of the Flight
On 2 October 2023 at about 1328 hours local time, a BGD Dual 2 tandem paraglider took off from Ngong Ping, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, a site frequently used for paragliding. The pilot and a passenger were on board. Shortly after take-off, the pilot lost control, and the paraglider impacted terrain heavily. Witnesses filmed the pre-flight preparation, the take-off, and a brief portion of the subsequent flight.
Injuries
The passenger sustained serious injuries, specifically an open fracture dislocation of the right ankle. The passenger was transported by a Government Flying Service helicopter to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital. The pilot did not report any injuries.
Damage to the Paraglider
The pilot did not cooperate with the investigation, so no arrangement could be made to examine the paraglider or the associated equipment used in the accident flight. No other damage was caused.
Investigation
The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) conducted an investigation into the accident. The investigation identified a safety issue regarding the proper connection of vital points between the paraglider and the occupant harnesses, which was considered a safety risk requiring timely mitigations. On 26 February 2024, AAIA issued Safety Recommendation Report SRR-2024-01, containing Safety Recommendation SR 2024-01, to the Hong Kong China Paragliding Association and the International Paragliding Association. The investigation report also includes two further safety recommendations.
Other Details
The paragliding activity area at Ngong Ping is frequently used. The investigation team received assistance from the Hong Kong Observatory, the Hong Kong China Paragliding Association, the International Paragliding Association, and the harness and reserve parachute manufacturer NEO. The pilot was invited for an interview but did not cooperate.