A vivid reminder from Austria that not everything that flies has seatbelts and cupholders after a Reims-Cessna F182 Skylane ran into the canopy of a paraglider flying over the Austrian Alps on Saturday. The 44-year-old woman flying the paraglider had launched from the top of Schmittenhöhe ski area near Piesendorf, about 20 miles southwest of Salzburg when the plane hit the silk from behind. The plane was flown by a 28-year-old man on a sightseeing flight that originated at nearby Zell am See Airport, according to Kronen Zietung. He was able to land safely where the flight originated. The paraglider pilot was picked up by a police helicopter on a forest road up the mountain. Following video is the uncut version showing the considerable struggle for the woman to gain control.
Original video by @sab_thi
The collision fouled the paraglider canopy, which remained attached to the pilot’s harness and spun them into an uncontrolled descent. The pilot was able to throw her reserve chute clear of the tangled paraglider canopy and she may have had some control on the ride down. She was able to get her legs up to protect herself as she careened into a tree before dropping to the ground. Her action camera caught every second and she checked to make sure it was on after she’d gathered her wits. She didn’t report any injuries to the first responders who fetched her off the mountain but she did go for treatment for minor injuries later on.
Sooo lucky. Bless her. For what happened, she seemed pretty composed.
See and avoid still matters. No pilot gets a pass on looking outside.
Even though this happened in Europe, this is a perfect example of why the proposed rules for unmanned drones should be dropped altogether!
The paraglider case shows why visual separation needs earlier warning.
Talk about keeping your wits and cool! She needs to go and buy some lottery tickets.
Pretty cool cat, this lady. Swearing like a saylor on the way down. I too hope she buys a lottery ticket.
Criminal Negligence on the pilot’s behalf
I noticed he didn’t even seem aware he had hit anything. Granted that was a pretty small target, but it was bright pink and white against a blue or dark green background. Since it appears he made no control deflections immediately before or after the impact, I’m wondering how much “sight seeing” outside the cockpit was actually happening.
In my Eagle, I flew a “loose” formation with a small Laser aircraft which was in the lead, and multiple times for brief periods, they just disappeared due to angle of perspective, backgrounds, etc.. It’s absolutely amazing what you CAN’T see that is right in front of you! That was a lucky day for everyone, albeit it would have been luckier if it hadn’t happened at all. I am also a paraglider, although I have only done ridge soaring and not where any aircraft fly.
Trying to edit a typo above without success … that should read “it’s amazing what you can’t (cannot) see”
I’d like to get a look at his cell phone…
The Cessna pilot was flying on a day with ideal conditions for paragliding, in an area marked/known for paragliding.
What is that weird sack around her legs?
Part of the apparatus she’s flying,
That is a “pod”, a cloth enclosure which acts as a fairing to reduce drag caused by the pilot’s body. The pilot is seated in the harness with their legs forward, and the pod surrounds legs and hips.The pod is built with a slit to allow the pilot to extend their legs outside of the pod for takeoff and landing. Source: I also flew paragliders for a while.
Tnx. More informative than the answer above.
I don’t know about the condition of the canopy, but if that had been me, I can definitely tell you about the condition of my underwear.
Piloting anything requires vigilance for safe visual separation.
“See and avoid” is paramount for everyone but unfortunately pilots neglect this routinely.
The slower less maneuverable flying apparatus has the right of way, respecting the rules is paramount.
The Lady Pilot did an Amazing job because she was well prepared for this emergency.
Godspeed.
And that’s why you should always carry a knife with you. Boy Scouts taught me that. Always be prepared
Yes, the Air Force issued me a switch blade knife with a folding hook blade for cutting parachute suspension lines. Hook blades are available and can be attached directly to the harness for just such an occasion
I saw one of those Air Force knives when I was in the C.A.P. The jumper showing it to us claimed that there had been a manufacturing error – the spring was attached to the main blade, not to the shroud cutter.
I wondered about how many of those knives had this ‘manufacturing error’ – and about how often that that ‘error’ occurred at some time after delivery.
That was the story back in the early 70s. We carried the knife in a narrow pocket on the left inner thigh, the “Peter Pocket”, with the hook blade extended, the switch blade stowed, and the lanyard, attached to a grommet on the flight suit at one end and to the knife at the other, wrapped around the knife so that the switch blade could not extend. Of course, it could not open due to the narrowness of the pocket.
The pilot of the Cessna was clearly suffering from recto-cranial inversion. How could he miss such a large, colorful object?
The paraglider pilot was certainly skilled in her emergency procedures and was very lucky, to boot.
Actually he didn’t miss. Thats the problem. We call that having your head up and locked.
Because the paraglider was below and in front of the Cessna.
There was no way he could see her.
During the investigation it will be pretty interesting to know who had which collision avoidance system.
Unfortunately we have three non-compatible systems here.
Pretty sure I can cuss in German now.