CeO selected Accident & Incident Summaries

during this three month reporting period 1st October to 31st dec 2022 there were 19 Incidents or Accidents. For those that were unfortunate enough to have an accident, I wish you all a speedy recovery and thank you for your honesty in reporting.

Looking back on 2022 there was one stand out report in February, that was so well written with multiple lessons to learn from the pilots own advice, that I asked if I could share this incredible breath taking story with the wider flying community. It is often said there are multiples factors leading up to the accident itself, read on: date: February 2021 experience: PG3 1000+ hours phase of Flight: In Flight XC location: Canterbury equipment damage: Helmet pilot Injuries: None I was on a thermic XC flight on the port hills in Christchurch. Left Gondola in shady conditions. Cloud base was low (~1000m). Was conservative leaving climbs well below base, but climbs were reasonably localised to the thermals. Arrived at Gebbies Pass, got low and pushed out towards harbour where there were good landing options. Wind in the pass was slight SW. Picked up a 0.1m/s thermal low (200-250m AGL). Scratched in thermal for a while, NE drift back towards pass. Found a strong release and climbed in a smooth +4.5m/s. I resisted the urge to leave the climb earlier as previously I had been too conservative given that base was low, area shady and I would arrive at next climb low. I turned a few more times and then headed towards harbour where there was air clear from cloud.

Normally when there is the possibility of entering cloud I use my second flight instrument which runs LK8000 and has a cartographical display. This instrument plots a trail of the path my flight has taken on the screen. I make sure I fly straight in the intended direction whilst in the clear thereby laying a straight line on the instrument from which I can use to maintain my course if I end up in cloud. However, I had left this instrument at home due to it having a flat battery. As I flew out of the thermal and towards the harbour I continued to climb. I soon entered the cloud and then lost all visual contact with the ground. I was in white out. Not having my other instrument, I looked at the electronic compass on my other instrument. Although I had used this many times in normal flight when not turning I was unsure of it’s accuracy and lag when turning. I saw the compass indicate my course was moving to the south and I wanted to go east. I tried turning to the left and felt like I was rotating to the left and the compass continued to show that I was rotating in the opposite direction, eventually heading west. I did not know if I was in a continual turn (it felt that way to me) and the compass was just laggy. I struggled to reconcile what my body was telling me and what my instrument was.

The wing I was flying has limited capacity to ‘big ear’. However, I tried this but due to the low reduction in climb and the turbulent nature of the air I abandoned this attempt as I preferred to be actively controlling the glider with the brakes which is not possible on big ears. My rate of ascent slowed, and I decided to try and spiral. I entered a spiral for a few turns but felt the g-forces quickly build so I exited the spiral and deployed my anti-G drogue chute. I then re-entered the spiral however I was quickly uncomfortable not having the horizon as a reference to use while spiralling (I had not thought about it previously, but I now realise that being able to see the horizon and ground is essential for gauging ones rate of turn and aspect in a spiral). Therefore, I decided to exit the spiral and find a strategy with the instrument that I had to fly straight and eventually exit the cloud.

However, due to the fact I could not see the ground I misjudged my exit and while I thought I was exiting in a controlled manner I must have exited hard. I felt my body go weightless at the top of a pendulum and got ready to break the resulting overshoot. However, I must have suffered a collapse on the right hand side of the wing which resulted in some slack lines as the wing passed overhead. Some of these lines then managed to catch in my goggle keeper tab at the rear of my helmet. The wing overshot and I braked as much as I could but was constrained by the caught lines. Due to the caught lines my chin was pinned to my chest. Rotating my eyes as far up (in my head) as possible I saw that the wing (now seemingly with it’s surface in a vertical position, pointing towards where I thought the ground was) continued to be braked on the right-hand side and started to twist the lines. At this point as I started to rotate with the wing, and I pulled my reserve. The reserve seemingly opened straight away, although I could not see it. I then tried to undo my helmet to free my head (and throat which was under quite a bit of pressure from the chin strap). Not being successful I took my glove off which fortunately had a keeper strap around my wrist. I was now able to see the ground.

Once I had my glove off I was able to remove my helmet and then free the lines from the back of the helmet. I put my helmet and glove back on. I then tried to ‘kill’ my main wing. I found this very difficult but eventually I managed to get it into a state that, whilst not in my hands, stopped it from fighting my reserve. I felt the reserve attachment points on my shoulders take my full weight and my body hang vertically. I removed my feet from the harness and performed a PLF rolling backwards as I had about 4 or 5 kph of ground speed backwards. I tried to contact other pilots in the area with my radio (one had landed not too far away) to let them know that I was OK but there was no answer. I sent out a message on WhatsApp to the pilot’s group and some who I was flying with responded there. I also called my wife. A farmer whose wife had seen me came to see if I was ok and gave me a ride back to the farmhouse. however once there I had no cell reception and I had not given my wife my location, so I resorted to using my InReach satellite messenger for that. pilot Advice

1. If you choose to leave a piece of equipment at home, make sure you have an alternative for everything that you use that for. (in my case the instrument that I have an alternate instrument for all aspects of flight except getting out of cloud, I could have had a screen or such on my other instrument as a backup.)

2. Think about what has changed, I was climbing at 4.5m/s and previous climbs were 1 or 2m/s. I should have recognized that I was in convergence and should not climb so close to the cloud.

3. If I had listened to my first urge to leave the climb lower I would have been fine.

4. Be familiar with descent techniques and what they require in terms of environment. I had not thought about needing to see the horizon for a spiral removal of Helmet Goggle Clip

5. Given that the cloud was higher than the terrain on all sides I could have persevered with my instrument and remained in level flight and I would have eventually exited.

6. Carry a hook knife to cut lines to kill the wing.

7. If you have a cell phone signal don’t assume you will still have it if you move position.

8. REMOVE ANYTHING FROM YOUR HELMET THAT COULD CATCH A LINE.

CEO notes: In addition to this report and as was carried by this pilot; if going XC and out of cell phone range, consider carrying some form of satellite emergency device to alert emergency services and your loved ones.

50th Anniversary of Hang gliding at Paekākāriki

During the last quarter of 2023 it will be the 50th anniversary of the first hang glider flight from the Paekākāriki escarpment. It will also be the 43rd anniversary of the first foot launched canopy or “paraglider” flight in New Zealand - see the flight record here from Ian Drinkman.

The Wellington Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club is planning on having a celebratory dinner at Paekākāriki, possibly having a static display of hang gliders and paragliders in a local park one afternoon, and, if the weather gods cooperate, flights from the escarpment. Dates and events have yet to be finalised, but if you are interested in participating please register your interest and preferences using this link: https://tinyurl.com/WHGPC50

How to report an accident or incident

what to report?

You must report as soon as practical anything that is defined as an “Accident” by CAA rules. That is anything that caused significant damage or serious injuries while the aircraft is being used. Club safety officers and other pilots can help out here by reporting even basic information about an accident for pilots that are unable to do it themselves.

We also want reports for incidents or accidents that aren’t so serious. The biggest benefit comes from the reporting of the smaller incidents and near misses. How small? Well, if good luck is all that saved you from an accident then it’s probably worth reporting.

Your personal details will be kept confidential. How?

To make a report go to the NZHGPA website and click on ”Safety”. www.nzhgpa.org.nz/safety

Then the button to hit for starting your report looks like this;

Your description of what happened is the most important part and makes up the majority of the reports we publish but other details are used to help with statistics that show trends so please complete as much as you can. Please include the location so we can send the report to the local safety officer and the club president for any follow up they need to do. Don’t worry, our policy is that we do not use the reports to lay blame or for any disciplinary action. They are for safety and learning.

Finally if you want to see other reports then click on this button;

Bluebridge Ferries - Special NZHgPA membership discounts 2022/23

Bluebridge Ferries have done it again for another year - supporting our Free Flying Community with fantastic discounted ferry prices

What’s more Bluebridge have sponsored the Presidents Good Sorts Award to the tune of $500.00 travel vouchers for the third year running!!

How to Book

For NZHGPA member discounts and benefits, or to book using the special promotional code SAIL2GLIDE at bluebridge.co.nz/NZHGPA Or quote the promo code when you call 0800 844 844 then simply pop in the sailing day and click next.

The system will pre-populate the discount and display your negotiated pricing.

Please note: You must present proof of your NZHGPA membership when you check-in. If not presented, the standard fare will be charged

For other NZHGPA membership sponsored benefits visit the NZHGPA Members Area.

Want a better magazine?

Airborn needs your articles and photos. We’d like to read about your flights, frights, sites, experiences and techniques. Anything educating or enthusing to pilots is especially welcome.

Airborn can’t afford to pay you but does post contributors a complimentary copy which you should receive a day or so before others do.

Just email your text to; aero@xtra.co.nz or put it on CD, DVD, Zip, Flash drive or even floppy disk. Most text programs such as Microsoft Word (Windows or Mac) are fine or even typed directly into email. it’s not digital, clean laser or typed copy is fine.

INCLUDE PHOTOS, of the people, places or gliders involved and one of yourself to make the article more interesting. Everything is now full colour and with digital photo editing, it’s amazing what we can do to enhance ordinary snapshots. Digital images must be high resolution (300 dpi or more but do not upscale low resolution photos). Photos in MS Word files have reduced resolution, so please supply photo files separately. I can help with emailing large files. Contact Airborn for help.

Photos for the cover should be eye-catching, colourful, sharp, and high resolution. You can also send transparencies or prints for scanning. Anything marked with a return address will be returned with your complimentary copy.

Help promote or make our sport safer, and Airborn will present your contribution in the best way possible.

It is with sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Mike Lissington on 25th November, 2022, aged 57. Loved partner of Debbie. Much loved son of John and Marion (deceased). Brother to Karen and Julienne. Uncle to

Cherished by Floyd and Jack. You will leave such a big hole in our lives. Soar with the wind Mike.

Safety Checks

Karpofly Xalps 3 and 4 Paraglider harnesses leg straps

Sample test number: PH 045.2013 (Number was assigned by the test center www.para.test. com for the model Xalps 3)

On a Karpofly Xalps 4 harness (unit test 2018), the seam on the seat surface with which the length adjustment of the Get Up leg straps was fixed had opened in flight. Due to the omission of this fixation, the leg straps pulled open over their entire length under load. This led to the student pilot sinking so deeply into the much too long leg straps after takeoff that the control lines were pulled strongly and there was a risk of a stall. The student pilot had to let go of the control lines completely and steer the paraglider by shifting his weight. He was finally able to pull himself onto the seat board with a pull-up and safely complete the flight. Basically, there is a risk of suspension trauma when hanging in the leg straps for a longer period of time.

Pilots who use these harnesses (Karpofly Xalps 3 and Xalps 4) are requested to check the affected seam. In the event of damage, the seam must be professionally repaired. This safety measure must be carried out before the next flight.

- DHV 02.12.2022

Supair walibi Lite parachute container

Request to check the extraction of the rescue parachute on Walibi Lite harnesses manufactured before 2019.

PROBLEM: A Walibi Lite harness produced in 2017 showed an inability to extract the rescue parachute. The parachute pocket was stuck to the rescue parachute pod making extraction impossible. The fabric coating had degraded and made the inside of the parachute pocket sticky. This degradation can occur when the fabric of the reserve parachute container is subjected to extreme temperature and humidity conditions (+ 60 ° C and a humidity rate of 95%).

Only certain Walibi Lite harnesses in sizes S and ML manufactured before 2019 are affected: You can find the date of manufacture on the label in the back pocket of the harness.

CHECK that the rescue parachute can be extracted and that the inside of the parachute pocket does not stick to the rescue parachute.

- If extraction is possible, and the parachute pocket does not stick; no risk, good flights!

- If the rescue parachute can’t be extracted or the inside of the parachute pocket sticks and interferes with the correct extraction of the reserve parachute Contact Supair: sav@supair.com