What happened
On 3 September 2005, a paragliding training flight ended in a fatal accident at Perdeberg Winch Park in the Western Cape. The pilot, who held a basic paraglider license and had 50 hours of flight experience, was participating in a winch-towed operation. After being towed to altitude, the pilot released from the winch and began a spiral maneuver under the supervision of radio instructors.
During the descent, the pilot failed to follow radio instructions to exit the spiral. The aircraft continued to descend in a tight spiral until it struck the ground. There was no evidence of an attempt to stabilize the glider or to deploy the reserve parachute before the impact.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the flight and the pilot's actions during the maneuver. The investigation confirmed that the pilot had received prior training in spiral maneuvers. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were favorable, with good visibility and light winds of approximately 5-10 km/h from the 315-degree direction.
Findings
- The pilot entered a spiral maneuver as part of the flight sequence.
- The pilot failed to execute any recovery maneuvers to exit the spiral.
- There was no attempt to activate the emergency reserve parachute.
- The pilot sustained fatal multiple internal injuries upon impact with the ground.