Executive Repor ts Selected Accident & Incident Summaries from 17 October 2020 to 1 January 2021 Selected Accident & Incident Summaries During this reporting period from the 17 October 2020 to 1 Jan 2021, there were 21 incidents or accidents, tragically this included a paramotor fatality. The list is to large to publish in Airborn, so we will focus on an event that highlights the importance of a good pre flight check routine, that may just prevent injury or save your life. On the same day, at different locations, we had a hang glider pilot and a paraglider pilot forget to clip in properly, both managed to hang on and land safely unhurt. I thank the pilots for submitting the following reports highlighting the importance of a good pre-flight check. Be extra careful if you change your equipment set up, or borrow your mates flying gear to try it out. Have a pre-flight check routine covering from top to toe and physically tug on all attachment points or clip in buckles, if interrupted or distracted during your pre flight checks, then start again from the beginning; top to toe and physically check, check, check. Date: 17/10/20, Region: Wellington, Type: Near Miss, Aircraft: Hang glider Flight without legs in leg straps from approx 100ft grass hill. I was helping others on a training hill for the afternoon, including helping them with glider recovery, take-offs, hang checks and leg strap checks. I then decided to have some spot landing practice. I used the clubs training glider and harness, not my normal glider and harness. 1st two flights went well. On 3rd (final) flight I changed into a different harness to give original one to a trainee. I climbed through the top of it and did not put legs into leg loops. At take-off point, checked carabiner and lay prone for a hang check. I did a fast strong run into a slight breeze. Once airborne I knew immediately that my legs were not supported. I was not slipping and felt supported around my underarms. I was not scared but was aware of the situation I was in, and knew that I had to stay calm, handle the glider well in flight and in turns, and then to land properly. I kept a firm grip on the uprights, kept my forearms at 90 degrees to my body
and elbows in at my sides. This did mean I was flying faster than trim, but that was better than flying too slow. I could not really push out or alter my pitch during flight. On final into wind I was flying fast, good landing, running it in though as I couldn’t flare. Embarrassed, shouldn’t have happened but lesson learned, I hope others can learn from my mistake. Date: 17/10/20, Region: Southern, Type: Near Miss, Aircraft: Paraglider Pilot Account I was not accustomed to leaving my harness connected to the wing and not accustomed to using a front mount reserve. When I slipped into the harness I thought I had fed my feet though the leg straps but in fact was only feeding them behind the reserve. When it came to the pre-flight checks I looked down but vision of the leg straps was blocked by the reserve, instead of pulling on the leg straps to check them I just thought through the feeding in process and assumed they were connected. When the launch procedure commenced, I was airborne before I realised something was wrong. Calling STOP STOP STOP immediately would have reduced my exposure to falling at height. Connecting the chest strap was what saved me from falling through the bottom of the harness. Tow Operator Account The Pilot got himself set up. I assisted attaching the tow bridle, the pilot instructed the Winch operator he was ready and the tow launch commenced. The pilot had not done up his leg straps nor done an adequate pre flight check. I believe his leg straps had been missed due to the use of a front mount rescue and a change in his usual procedure of stepping in and out of the leg straps without undoing them. He launched and got approx 50-80 ft off the ground hanging from his arms in the harness, he never called ‘stop’ on the launch. Once I spotted something wasn’t right I called for the tow to be stopped. The winch operator dropped tension, the pilot could have landed safely with the line attached but chose to detach from the tow and then proceeded to a safe landing.
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;
Helmet Clip Warning
Harness Plastic Buckles
Test your knowledge on VFR
A recent Incident Report submitted by a member highlighted an issue previously covered in BHPA SkyWings pages: catching paraglider lines on the ‘goggle clip’ at the back of a helmet. In this instance a number of lines had snagged and been damaged whilst the pilot was ground handling. The pilot removed the goggle clip by releasing the bolt used to fix it in place, only to find that the metal bolt casing, set into the helmet’s shell, protruded well beyond the surface of the shell. The lines that came into contact with the bolt casing had been damaged by its sharp metal edge. Paraglider pilots who have removed the goggle clip from their helmets are advised to check for any sharp metal edges standing proud of the shell that could possibly snag lines and/or damage them. - BHPA SkyWings
in the September 2020 Skywings we reported on the care and maintenance of paraglidlng harnesses. Following that article, some speedflyers have used the BHPA IR system to report the failure of plastic buckles on some older reversible and lightweight types of paragliding harnesses during dynamic flight. Several harness manufacturers incorporated these buckles for back support, usually with a structural/security webbing backup in case the plastic buckle should fail. Although these met the EN standard for strength at the time, they will now have been in use fur a number of years and exposed to considerable wear. Pilots using these types of harness are recommended to pay particular attention to any plastic parts when making periodic inspections, and consider retiring them in line with manufacturers’ recommendations. - BHPA SkyWings
Many clubs are encouraging their members to update and check their knowledge of VFR rules by having a go at the online test. We think that’s a great idea. Try it yourself. It’s free. On the NZHGPA website http://nzhgpanotices.blogspot.com Go to the “Test your knowledge on VFR” article and; • Access the online exam at www. c l a s s m a r k e r. c o m / o n l i n e - t e s t / start/?quiz=k345e8d4f7f8c5b7 and use the current password “vfr2020”. The password may change at some stage but if it does we’ll let you know. • If you don’t pass on the first go don’t be disappointed, you can have another go after 24 hours. In the mean time maybe read the new VFR guide at https://drive.google. com/file/d/1RVvGv0EY7Gz3YKRMj6ASZVA_ yRFC8wFH/view. The guide is also available on the NZHGPA website (in the OPM and Forms area).
Safety Checks
20 A i r b o r n
CEO Update on the AIRS Reporting System The summaries printed in Airborn are a selection taken from members reports via the online NZHGPA Accident Incident Reporting System (AIRS), found on the NZHGPA website at http://www.nzhgpa.org.nz/safety Please note the paper Form OPMF7 AIRS created duplication and a barrier to reporting in a timely manner and so has been removed, all reporting is now done online. Please refer to the NZHGPA OPM for further information on incident and accident reporting procedures. All incident and accident reports are automatically sent to the CAA under the pilot protection of a Just Culture, explained by CAA as: “If an aviation participant reports their involvement in an incident or Rules omission/ breach in a complete, accurate and timely fashion then the CAA will apply Just Culture principles in its response. Where there’s no self-reporting, or there is evidence of repeated at-risk behaviours or recklessness, then the protections of Just Culture will not apply.” A Just Culture is not about trying to catch pilots out or appoint blame, but learn from mistakes and try to identify trends through procedural or system failures, so others may avoid the same incidents and accidents. There is no embarrassment in reporting, asking for further assistance or simply chatting it over with your club safety Officer or a flying buddy, or if you prefer more centrally in confidence with Nick the CEO. It is appreciated that not everyone wants to return to flight after an accident, but if you do, then the NZHGPA is here to help work through what’s happened and assist where we can to get you airborne again. If your wellbeing has been affected as a pilot or as a witness to an accident, then there is some useful information on the CAA Website for family and friends after an accident at; https://www.aviation.govt.nz/safety/safetyreporting/for-family-and-friends-after-anaccident/ . The NZHGPA in collaboration with CAA, is currently reviewing a better and more meaningful incident and accident reporting process relevant to our sport of hang gliding and paragliding and has recently sent four senior pilots on the CAA Safety Officer and Accident Occurrence Courses, plus appointed a NZHGPA National Safety Officer. The AIRS review will take time, but it is a start to making the sport safer for us through the sharing of knowledge and helping each other overcome difficulties after an accident.
NZ Comp Organiser’s Responsibilities It is the Comp Organiser’s responsibility to; 1. Obtain a list of current members from the Administrator. 2. Ensure every competition entrant is a current NZHGPA member. 3. Sign up any non-members. Any competitors found to be non-members will be listed and scored as ‘disqualified’.
