Incident reports received by the BHPA are available in summary form on this page. If you're looking for reports of formal investigations undertaken in the case of a serious incident, please visit our Incident Reports (formal investigations) page.
Incident reports for rigid hang glider wings are displayed below in summary form.
The BHPA incident reports database is fully searchable. To refine your search you can specify a particular wing type and select "or" or "and". For example, if you want to search for paraglider incidents at Hay Bluff, for best search results select paraglider from the drop down list and the "and" option.
If available, total hours flown and hours flown in the previous six months are included below, with the latter displayed in brackets.
| Date |
Pilot |
Location |
Wing Type |
Summary |
Injury |
|
15.10.2023 |
|
North Luffenham,
UK |
Rigid Hang Glider
Launch Type:
Winch/vehicle Tow |
The North Luffenham winch Tow site was active and NOTAM H7274/23 issued for tow launch activity up to 2000ft. At 14.22 helicopter G-OCFD flew directly over the tow site 50 seconds after the tow line had been active.
|
|
|
03.09.2023 |
Male
Age:
62
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
44 years
4500 hours
(50 hours)
|
Malvern Aerotow / Teal,
UK
Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
Air
Atos VR190
Launch Type:
Aero Tow |
Pilot slipped on landing due to wearing trainers offering little grip.
|
Pilot:
Minor Injuries
Passenger:
Feet, Legs
|
|
30.06.2023 |
Male
Age:
68
Rating:
CP
Flying Experience:
38 years
350 hours
(5 hours)
|
Devils Dyke,
UK
Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h
Conditions:
Moderate,
Not Turbulent |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
A.I.R
VQ
Launch Type:
Foot |
While attempting a bottom landing pilot did not maintain sufficient air speed to flare fully, causing the gliders base bar to be caught by the long grass and nose in.
|
Seriously Injured,
Head Injuries
|
|
07.12.2022 |
Male
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
43 years
|
Deenethorp,
UK |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
ATOS
VR
Launch Type:
Aero Tow |
Glider nose cone came off during flight. Pilot landed immediately as the glider became difficult to control due to being unstable in pitch and yaw.
|
Unhurt |
|
08.05.2022 |
Male
Age:
57
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
41 years
1500 hours
(10 hours)
|
Deenthorpe,
UK
Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h
Conditions:
Moderate,
Not Turbulent |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
AIR
Atos VQR
Launch Type:
Aero Tow |
Pilot landed in nil wind with insufficient flare. A-frame touched the ground and pilot swung through hitting elbow on the upright.
|
Seriously Injured,
Hands, Arms, Shoulder
|
|
06.05.2022 |
Male
Age:
72
Rating:
P
Flying Experience:
47 years
3000 hours
(1 hours)
|
Deenethorpe Airfield,
UK
Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h
Conditions:
Moderate,
Light Turbulence |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
Air Design
ATOS
Launch Type:
Aero Tow |
Pilot misjudged speed on approach to land resulting in being too high. Pilot pulled in too much resulting in heavy landing.
|
Unhurt |
|
25.03.2022 |
Male
Age:
62
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
47 years
10000 hours
(4 hours)
|
Mercury,
UK |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
A.I.R
VR |
While making a landing approach having been scratching below hill height, pilot cleared main power lines but did not see spur line. Pilot suspects wing glanced power line causing a heavy landing.
|
Seriously Injured |
|
15.06.2021 |
Male
Age:
61
Rating:
P
Flying Experience:
38 years
1000 hours
(19 hours)
|
Sutton Meadows,
UK
Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h
Conditions:
Moderate,
Not Turbulent |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
A-I-R
VR
Launch Type:
Aero Tow |
Immediately prior to the aerotow commencing the conditions were nil wind. When "all out" was called, the left wing rose first and continued to rise out of the trolley, caught by a sudden crosswind. The right wingtip came into contact with long grass, turning the glider and trolley. The weak link broke, but the glider had left the runway and stopped nose down in crops.
|
Minor Injuries,
Hands, Arms, Shoulder
|
|
23.05.2021 |
Male
Age:
58
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
36 years
1000 hours
|
Westbury,
UK
Wind Strength:
40-45 km/h |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
AIR
Atos VRS
Launch Type:
Foot |
The pilot lost control of the wing on the launch area during a change in wind direction and increase in windspeed. The wing and pilot were lifted, blown backwards and dropped to the ground, which caused damage to the glider.
|
Minor Injuries,
Pelvis
|
|
18.03.2021 |
Male
Age:
61
Rating:
P
Flying Experience:
43 years
2000 hours
(15 hours)
|
Westbury White Horse,
UK
Wind Strength:
20-25 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
AIR
Atos VR
Launch Type:
Foot |
The pilot rigged and checked their glider, and left the spoiler wires disconnected whilst the glider was tail-into-wind. These were then connected and spoiler activation was noted as the pilot manoeuvred the glider to the take-off. On launch, the glider rolled right despite full opposite control and impacted the slope sustaining damage. On inspection, the pilot noticed that slack in the unconnected spoiler wires had become tangled causing the spoilers not to function correctly (when connected). This went undetected because the zips were closed and nose cone was fitted.
|
Unhurt |
|
Go to: Incident Reports (formal investigations)
|
|
Go to: Annual Incident Analysis Reports
|
