What happened
On 19 July 2008, a 26-year-old licensed paralglider pilot was involved in a fatal accident at the Bambi Flying Site near Lydenburg. The flight began under favorable meteorological conditions, with clear skies and light winds. After approximately 30 minutes of flight, the pilot began a descent toward the landing site at an altitude of roughly 100 meters.
During this final approach, the pilot encountered turbulence that triggered a partial collapse of the starboard section of the Advance Epsilon 4-26 wing. This collapse induced a right-hand spin. The aircraft entered an unrecoverable state, and the pilot struck the ground at a high rate of descent, resulting in one fatality.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft, the pilot's flight history, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the pilot had 16 total flying hours, including 10 hours on this specific wing model. The equipment, which included a helmet, harness, and reserve parachute, was found to be of good quality, and no mechanical malfunctions were detected in the wing or the reserve system.
Data retrieved from the pilot's digital variometer indicated a final descent rate of approximately 13.9 m/s prior to impact. The investigation also noted that the pilot had been in good health and was communicating via radio with a companion on the ground throughout the flight, reporting no issues until the terminal phase of the descent.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot encountering turbulence during the landing approach, which led to a loss of control.
- A significant contributing factor was the failure to initiate timely recovery actions or deploy the emergency reserve parachute.
- The pilot's lack of experience in managing unusual flight attitudes contributed to the inability to stabilize the wing.
- The weather conditions at the time of the incident were otherwise suitable for flight.