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Incident Reports (Informal)

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.

Speed Wing (Courtesy Alan Clarke)

Incident reports are available in summary form for the following wing types:

Incident reports for all wing types 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 you want to search by incident date, please enter the day, month and year numerically as dd-mm-yyyy (eg. 03-12-2019).

or and

If known, total hours and total flights flown are displayed below together with hours and flights flown in the past six months, the latter being displayed in brackets.

There are 3239 entries for all wing types

Displaying page 3 out of 324

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Date Pilot Location Wing Type Summary Injury
Incident Reports

Date
07.09.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
60

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
15 years

1000 hours
(20 hours)

(20 flights)

Location
Unknown,
Derry,
UK

Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h

Wing Type
Powered PG

Wing:
Paramania
Revo 3

Launch Type:
Powered

Engine:
Minari

Summary
The paramotor pilot experienced an engine failure shortly after launch and landed in long grass where they sustained injury.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries,

Feet, Legs

Date
07.09.2024

Pilot
Female

Age:
24

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
1000 hours
(100 hours)

Location
St Andre,
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur,
France

Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Paraglider

Wing:
Ozone
Photon

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The pilot's helmet came unclipped in flight. The pilot reported that the helmet buckle had caught on a zip fastener whilst in a turn.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
03.09.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
60

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
10 years

500 hours
(60 hours)

1000 flights
(80 flights)

Location
Le Chalvet,
St Andre-Les-Alpes,
France

Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Paraglider

Wing:
Ozone
Photon

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The pilot was competing in the British & Dutch Open Paragliding Championships. During the flight they found themselves low in a heavily wooded valley and landed uneventfully on a dry riverbed.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
02.09.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
57

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
25 years

1000 hours
(25 hours)

500 flights
(10 flights)

Location
Stol ridge,
Slovenia

Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h

Conditions:
Very Strong,
Strong Turbulence,
Thundery

Wing Type
Paraglider

Wing:
Ozone
Delta 2

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The pilot experienced a collapse of their paraglider in strong turbulence and successfully deployed their emergency parachute, landing in a tree.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
31.08.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
50

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
16 years

391 hours
(8 hours)

495 flights
(15 flights)

Location
Tinto (South),
Scotland,
UK

Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Paraglider

Wing:
Air Design
Rise 4

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The pilot fell over on take off and sustained injury.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries,

Feet, Legs

Date
30.08.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
65

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
24 years

170 hours
(5 hours)

400 flights
(20 flights)

Location
Not applicable,
Not applicable,
UK

Wing Type
Other

Wing:
Woody Valley
Tenax 3 / Tenax 4 harnesses

Summary
During an inspection of the inside trim system on a Woody Valley Tenax 3 hang-gliding harness, it was discovered that one of the bolts that attach the posts to the backplate had become loose, allowing considerable movement of the post. A BHPA Safety Advisory (SC019) for the Woody Valley Tenax 3 (with "inside trim") and Tenax 4 harnesses has been issued. See the relevant page of the BHPA website for mare details.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
26.08.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
58

Rating:
PPL

Flying Experience:
22 years

413 hours
(5 hours)

903 flights
(9 flights)

Location
Old Park Farm,
Port Talbot,
UK

Wind Strength:
20-25 km/h

Conditions:,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Other

Wing:
Medway
Clipper

Launch Type:
Powered

Engine:
Medway,
Clipper

Summary
On landing approach the aircraft encountered rotor from a line of trees and landed heavily on the port wheel. The pilot initiated a go-around and was informed by radio that the undercarriage was not usable for landing (port wheelstay had failed). On landing approach after two practice approaches the aircraft impacted the ground after contacting a hedge. The pilot exited the aircraft uninjured.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
22.08.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
25

Rating:
Unqualified

Flying Experience:
1 year

2 flights

Location
Buching,
Fuessen,
Germany

Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Paraglider

Wing:
Independence
Cruiser 4

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Shortly after launch the pilot noticed that their emergency parachute had come out of the front-mounted outer container. The pilot was able to stow the parachute between their thighs, and they landed without further incident.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
17.08.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
68

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
47 years

530 hours
(15 hours)

780 flights
(8 flights)

Location
Sutton Meadows,
Cambridgeshire,
UK

Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
La Mouette
Top Secret

Launch Type:
Aero Tow

Summary
Following a heavy landing the pilot noticed that the retaining strap connecting the inboard trailing edge of the wing to the keel had snapped, and the metal "D" ring that connects the strap to the locking device on the keel had disappeared.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
14.08.2024

Pilot
Male

Age:
53

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
45 hours

Location
Windbank,
Hawkswick,
UK

Wind Strength:
15-20 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Paraglider

Wing:
Ozone
Buzz Z7

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The pilot lost their footing and was dragged along the take off area when reverse launching.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries,

Feet, Legs

Last updated: 5 January 2025

Displaying page 3 out of 324

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A number of incident analysis reports are also available in the safety section of our website. These are compiled from the individual incident reports submitted during the course of each year.

 

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