Hang Gliding
British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association logo

British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

safety
incidents
reports

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.

Paraglider (Courtesy Grant Oseland)

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

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 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 32 entries for rigid hang glider wings

Displaying page 2 out of 4

[ Top ] - [ Prev ] - [ Next ] - [ Bottom ]

Date Pilot Location Wing Type Summary Injury
Incident Reports

Date
18.03.2021

Pilot
Male

Age:
61

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
45 years

2000 hours
(15 hours)

1000 flights
(10 flights)

Location
Westbury White Horse,
Westbury,
UK

Wind Strength:
20-25 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
AIR
Atos VR

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
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.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
31.08.2020

Pilot
Male

Age:
26

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
10 years

41 hours
(2 hours)

111 flights
(10 flights)

Location
Sutton Meadows Airstrip,
Cambridge Aerotow,
UK

Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
Flight Design
Exxtacy

Launch Type:
Aero Tow

Summary
The pilot was attempting a nil-wind landing and had insufficient flap applied. Upon touchdown, his foot slipped and twisted, causing injury. The pilot considered his footwear not to have been appropriate and therefore a factor in the incident.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries,

Feet, Legs

Date
11.07.2020

Pilot
Male

Age:
61

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
46 years

501 hours
(4 hours)

1080 flights
(4 flights)

Location
Llangollen,
Llangollen,
UK

Wind Strength:
20-25 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
A.I.R
Atos C

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The left wingtip contacted the ground prior to take-off. In flight, the pilot noticed that left turns led to tip stall and incipient spin. Upon landing the pilot found the lower hinge on the outermost permanently attached rib had failed, leading to the untensioning of the outer rib.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
30.05.2020

Pilot
Male

Rating:
CP

Location
Malverns Black Hill,
Malverns,
UK

Wind Strength:
15-20 km/h

Conditions:
Strong,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
ICARO
Stratos

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Pilot lost control of the glider due to a failure in the control system, and collided with trees. He subsequently found that a spoiler wire was tangled around a rib.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries

Date
18.05.2020

Pilot
Male

Age:
68

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
47 years

(4 hours)

(6 flights)

Location
Freathy,
Plymouth,
UK

Wind Strength:
35-40 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
AIR
ATOS VQ

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The right hand leg loop of the pilot's Woody Valley Tenax 3 harness became detached on launch. The pilot was able to re-attach the buckle in flight.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
15.05.2020

Pilot
Male

Age:
64

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
14 years

320 hours
(12 hours)

1040 flights
(8 flights)

Location
Bo Peep,
Alciston,
UK

Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
Air Design
Atos v

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Pilot encountered heavy sink while attempting to make an upslope landing. Pilot tried to turn away from the hill to bottom land but sinking air meant he landed in trees.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
24.08.2019

Pilot
Male

Age:
60

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
41 years

2500 hours
(59 hours)

1600 flights
(29 flights)

Location
Coll D’Ares,
Ager,
Spain

Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h

Conditions:
Strong,
Light Turbulence

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
A.I.R
ATOS VQ11

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Pilot misrigged glider while on the last day of a comp. Rib had not located on one side of the wing causing a flutter in the wing and a shudder on the basebar at speed. Pilot landed safely.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
25.05.2019

Pilot
Male

Age:
62

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
35 years


Location
Long Mynd,
Church Stretton,
UK

Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
A.I.R
Atos C

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Nose section came adrift from glider while thermalling causing the glider to handle erratically.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Passenger:
Unhurt

Date
10.03.2018

Pilot
Male

Age:
57

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
46 years

4000 hours
(25 hours)

4000 flights
(25 flights)

Location
Ringstead,
Weymouth,
UK

Wind Strength:
30-35 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
AIR
VR+

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
While coastal soaring in strong and fluctuating winds pilot found himself in sinking air with limited safe landing options. Pilot landed on rocky area but was able to avoid injury by flaring hard and landing vertically.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
13.08.2017

Pilot
Male

Age:
54

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
36 years

1200 hours
(30 hours)

1300 flights
(15 flights)

Location
Sibson, Nuneaton,
Nuneaton,
UK

Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Rigid Hang Glider

Wing:
Air Design
ATOS VR

Launch Type:
Aero Tow

Summary
Pilot released from aerotow when glider went off-line before getting airborne. The right wing tip touched down pulling the pilot out of the trolley causing damage to an upright.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries

Last updated: 5 January 2025

Displaying page 2 out of 4

[ Top ] - [ Prev ] - [ Next ] - [ Bottom ]

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.

 

Skywings Magazine Online
Submit an Incident Report
BHPA Pilot Handbook
The BHPA is a members of the Royal Aero Club
The BHPA is a member of the European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union
The Civil Aviation Authority Drone and Model Aircraft Code
The General Aviation Safety Council Flight Safety Magazine

© British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association 2004 - 2025