Flight History
On 24 August 2024 at 15:10 UTC, the pilot took off from the Straník launch site above Teplička nad Váhom. After approximately 20 minutes of soaring, the pilot descended and began the landing approach. At an altitude of about 150–200 m above ground, the paraglider entered a full stall (prebrzdenie). The full stall repeated 3–4 times. Following several meters of uncontrolled flight in a full stall, the paraglider descended in a spiral and struck the ground in a fenced garden, slightly damaging the fence.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot sustained serious injuries to the pelvis, spine, and femur. The paraglider was undamaged after the accident; its lines were tangled in the fence but not damaged. The harness and navigation device were also undamaged. No fire occurred.
Meteorological Conditions
At the time of the accident (15:40 UTC), weather near Teplička nad Váhom-Straník was nearly clear (1/10 cloud cover) with cumulus and cirrus clouds, no precipitation, temperature approximately 32 °C. Wind at 10 m altitude was mainly southwesterly at up to 4 m/s, gusts to 6 m/s. At 100 m altitude, temperature was 30 °C, wind southwesterly up to 4 m/s, gusts to 6 m/s. Turbulent airflow prevailed due to local orography.
Causes
The investigation determined that the day was extremely hot. The pilot reported that he had neglected fluid and food intake because he was helping other pilots launch. The probable cause of the accident was that the pilot likely lost consciousness during the flight due to fatigue, dehydration, lack of food intake, and overheating, rendering him unable to control the paraglider and land safely. The pilot did not recall the accident sequence.