Paraglider spiral dive, throws chute and ends up in the trees

[Stewart Kissel]

http://dhost.info/Paragliding/Pages/joeparrspiraltreelandingmexico
2005.htm

Stunning POV vid of this accident sequence...

[David Kinsell]

Stewart Kissel wrote:
> http://dhost.info/Paragliding/Pages/joeparrspiraltreelandingmexico2005.htm
>
> Stunning POV vid of this accident sequence...
>

Yep, really makes you want to stick with plastic wings, doesn't it?

-Dave


P.S. Your word wrap is set really tight, making for annoying chopped-up links.
It's fixed in this posting.

[Paul Remde]

That is a very interesting video. What would cause a spiral dive like that?

Paul Remde

"David Kinsell" > wrote in message
...
> Stewart Kissel wrote:
>> http://dhost.info/Paragliding/Pages/joeparrspiraltreelandingmexico2005.htm
>>
>> Stunning POV vid of this accident sequence...
>>
>
> Yep, really makes you want to stick with plastic wings, doesn't it?
>
> -Dave
>
>
> P.S. Your word wrap is set really tight, making for annoying chopped-up
> links.
> It's fixed in this posting.
>

[David Kinsell]

Paul Remde wrote:

> "David Kinsell" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Stewart Kissel wrote:
>>
>>>http://dhost.info/Paragliding/Pages/joeparrspiraltreelandingmexico2005.htm
>>>
>>>Stunning POV vid of this accident sequence...
>>>
>>
>>Yep, really makes you want to stick with plastic wings, doesn't it?
>>
>>-Dave
>>
>>
>>P.S. Your word wrap is set really tight, making for annoying chopped-up
>>links.
>> It's fixed in this posting.
>
> That is a very interesting video. What would cause a spiral dive like that?
>
> Paul Remde
>

I assume the canopy collapsed due to turbulence, and the shroud lines got
twisted and kept it collaped in the spiral. I'm sure he wasn't flying in
his normal configuration in the spiral, like a rigid wing craft does. I
suppose it was more of a spin than a spiral dive. That's always made me
nervous about ballistic chutes for regular gliders. If you're going to
deploy the chute, you may well be in a spin, making the successful deployment
of the chute questionable.

-Dave

[Paul Remde]

Hi Dave,

I don't think spins are a problem for ballistic recovery systems.

Paul Remde

"David Kinsell" > wrote in message
...
> Paul Remde wrote:
>
>> "David Kinsell" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>Stewart Kissel wrote:
>>>
>>>>http://dhost.info/Paragliding/Pages/joeparrspiraltreelandingmexico2005.htm
>>>>
>>>>Stunning POV vid of this accident sequence...
>>>>
>>>
>>>Yep, really makes you want to stick with plastic wings, doesn't it?
>>>
>>>-Dave
>>>
>>>
>>>P.S. Your word wrap is set really tight, making for annoying chopped-up
>>>links.
>>> It's fixed in this posting.
>>
>> That is a very interesting video. What would cause a spiral dive like
>> that?
>>
>> Paul Remde
>>
>
> I assume the canopy collapsed due to turbulence, and the shroud lines got
> twisted and kept it collaped in the spiral. I'm sure he wasn't flying in
> his normal configuration in the spiral, like a rigid wing craft does. I
> suppose it was more of a spin than a spiral dive. That's always made me
> nervous about ballistic chutes for regular gliders. If you're going to
> deploy the chute, you may well be in a spin, making the successful
> deployment
> of the chute questionable.
>
> -Dave

[Iwo Mergler]

Paul Remde wrote:
> That is a very interesting video. What would cause a spiral dive like that?
>

In most cases the pilot. Deliberately. :^)
Paragliders don't have elevators, so a spiral is
the fastest way down.

It wasn't very clear from the video, but my guess
is that this was a tuck caused by turbulence which
lead to this very steep spiral.

The canopies are only tested at spiral descend speeds
of upt to 14m/s and what they do beyond that is not
very predictable. Some even steepen the spiral. It
doesn't help that thinking is harder at >4G.

Regards,

Iwo

[[email protected]]

For anyone interested in this incident, there is quite a bit of
discussion on paraglidingforum.com:

http://paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1405

The consensus seems to be that the pilot applied and held brakes when
entering a thermal and this caused the wing to stall and deflate which
resulted in a cravat (tip stuck in the lines). The wing was spinning so
the pilot tossed the reserve chute. The pilot landed in a tall tree
with the wing draped over the tree and, while hanging there and picking
twigs out of the lines, he then fell to the ground basically unhurt.
His lucky day I suppose!

Steve

[Iwo Mergler]

wrote:
> For anyone interested in this incident, there is quite a bit of
> discussion on paraglidingforum.com:
>
> http://paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1405
>
> The consensus seems to be that the pilot applied and held brakes when
> entering a thermal and this caused the wing to stall and deflate which
> resulted in a cravat (tip stuck in the lines). The wing was spinning so
> the pilot tossed the reserve chute. The pilot landed in a tall tree
> with the wing draped over the tree and, while hanging there and picking
> twigs out of the lines, he then fell to the ground basically unhurt.
> His lucky day I suppose!
>
> Steve
>

That is the exact oposite of my guess. I'll go and
watch the video again. Thanks for the link.

Iwo

[Mark]

Incidentally Joe is flying again now that his broken rib has healed.

Mark Andrews

Iwo Mergler wrote:
> wrote:
> > For anyone interested in this incident, there is quite a bit of
> > discussion on paraglidingforum.com:
> >
> > http://paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1405
> >
> > The consensus seems to be that the pilot applied and held brakes
when
> > entering a thermal and this caused the wing to stall and deflate
which
> > resulted in a cravat (tip stuck in the lines). The wing was
spinning so
> > the pilot tossed the reserve chute. The pilot landed in a tall tree
> > with the wing draped over the tree and, while hanging there and
picking
> > twigs out of the lines, he then fell to the ground basically
unhurt.
> > His lucky day I suppose!
> >
> > Steve
> >
>
> That is the exact oposite of my guess. I'll go and
> watch the video again. Thanks for the link.
>
> Iwo