🚀 go-pugleaf

Responses to format/ reporting effort appreciated. Remember - do your part,
don't get listed here. Should paragliding be included here? I firmly believe
in reporting incidents and accidents so someone may be able to prevent a
similar one.

How is situation at Oklahoma and Arkansas sites? Any bone head occurances
anyone know of there?

My apologies to any offense in using names of individuals in these reports,
especially to any pilots listed previously. I will trust pilots not injured
will not mind their accident or incident being put in print while I will list
body description in accidents with injury. I will endeavor to interview
personally each pilot and ask if they mind their name being listed, know that
this effort is to prevent these incidents from being repeated.

Accidents Reporting - Hang Gliding (FAI Class I)

Site: La Luz, Alamogordo, NM
Date: April' 94
Pilot: Rick Floyd
USHGA member: yes, III
Glider: HP AT 145
Injuries: n/a
Incident: Blown Launch, nose high run, turn to left, major glider damage.
Pilot had considerable tow experience, little on mountain launches.

Site: N. Dallas tow road
Date: June '94
Pilot: SWMSDDF, 40? yr old, 160 lb?
USHGA Member: yes, III?
Injuries:Severe breaks in r. arm/elbow (shattered elbow?)
Incident: Lockout on tow (platform launch, payout winch) with problems
releasing by pilot. Pulled on bridle not release line? Crash while on tow.


Accident Reporting - (FAI Class II)

Swift at Chelan? Improper assembly of control system?


Accident Reporting - Paragliding (FAI Class III)

Site: Packsaddle Mtn., TX
Date: May '94
Pilot: Jim Brown
USHGA Member: yes, Class I?
Injuries: n/a
Incident: Unsuccessful launch in rotor after wind switched from S. to N.,
Pilot failed to recognise lee side winds though reports were of birds soaring
backside.


Hey, last year - 1993 saw no Hang Gliding fatalities from tow launches. This
year we have two so far (J. Kardows in Texas, and A. Mullin in Florida). A
fatality from static towing a paragliding student pilot occured in Las Vegas,
NV (early in 94?, or late '93).

Anyone keeping injury records know the running score? Three fatalities so far
in '94. Will we ever have a fatality free year? Maybe we should have a
contest between Regions of the USHGA, Region 10, 11 are out of running for
sure.

Do your part - no bone head manuevers, keep your friends and fellow pilots
from bone head flights.

JEFF
rrajeff@aol.com