The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has been advised to review compliance by paragliding operators with laws after an accident in Co Wicklow where two people were seriously injured.
The incident happened last April when the Ozone Magnum paraglider’s wing collapsed a number of times during very heavy turbulence. The aircraft lost too much height and hit the ground while flying forward.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit report said the pilot and the passenger launched from a ridge near Lough Bray Lower after which the pilot encountered what he described as the most aggressive turbulence he has experienced in his 14 years of flying.
The report went on to state: “The pilot said that the wing collapsed due to the turbulence. He attempted to recover, but due to continuing turbulence and instability the wing collapsed twice more.
“The pilot believed that the wing was actually recovering from the final collapse when, due to loss of height caused by the successive collapses, he impacted terrain with forward speed.”
The pilot, who had 284 hours of flying experience, sustained a concussion, several pelvic fractures, a dislocated shoulder and a compound fracture of the humerus which required surgery. The passenger suffered two broken ribs, a punctured lung and a fractured bone in his hand.
The passenger, who was himself a private pilot licence holder, had purchased a coupon on the internet for a paraglider flight. He said the flight was an experience flight and that he had not joined or enrolled with any club or training school beforehand.
The report stated that although the pilot classified the flight as a training flight, no formal IAA flying club approval existed. Therefore the flight could not be considered a private flight under current legislation.
Aeronautical Notice O.72, Issue 1, states: “where a flight in any aircraft is carried out involving the carriage of a member of the public and that person makes a payment of any kind to the aircraft owner/ operator, the flight shall be deemed to be a commercial air transport flight”.
The investigation unit said because of the apparently anomalous nature of the flight, it recommended the IAA release a memo giving guidance to operators of paragliders for uses other than “private use”.
It also said the IAA should consider if additional education and enforcement activities are required to ensure awareness and compliance with the relevant statutory provisions.
