Incident Reports | Formal Investigations | BHPA | Safety

Incident Reports (Informal)

Incident reports are available in summary form for the following wing types:

Incident reports for flexwing hang glider wings are displayed below in summary form.

The BHPA incident reports database is fully searchable. To refine your search you can specify a particular wing type and select "or" or "and". For example, if you want to search for paraglider incidents at Hay Bluff, for best search results select paraglider from the drop down list and the "and" option.

If you want to search by incident date, please enter the day, month and year numerically as dd-mm-yyyy (eg. 03-12-2019).

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If known, total hours and total flights flown are displayed below together with hours and flights flown in the past six months, the latter being displayed in brackets.

There are 422 entries for flexwing hang glider wings

Displaying page 4 out of 43

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Date

Pilot

Location

Wing Type

Summary

Injury

Incident Reports

Date
20.10.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
37

Rating:
CP

Flying Experience:
5 years

7 hours
(6 hours)

30 flights
(10 flights)

Location
Vault Bay,
Gorran, Cornwall,
UK

Wind Strength:
25-30 km/h

Conditions:,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Wills Wing
Sport 2

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
After a successful flight pilot landed in field adjacent to normal landing field due to cattle in field. Pilot experienced severe turbulence and crash landed. Turbulence suspected to be from hedge at upwind end of field.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries,

Hands, Arms, Shoulder

Date
21.09.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
64

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
39 years

2000 hours
(4 hours)

3000 flights
(4 flights)

Location
Ager Montsec,
Spain

Wind Strength:
35-40 km/h

Conditions:
Strong

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Wills Wing
U2

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
The pilot was assisted towards launch by another experienced pilot. A thermal was blowing through and so a third pilot held the left wing wire from behind. Hang check was performed. Pilot lifted the A frame and was assessing conditions when the lower front wires came away from the nose ripping out of the assistants fingers. The pilot and wing were lifted backwards, 2-3 m into the air. The assistant on the left side wire was able to hold on and so the glider slewed around and came down sideways to the wind. The pilot landed on feet. The lower front wires keyhole tang nose catch had somehow disconnected itself.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
10.09.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
55

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
22 years

210 hours
(10 hours)

250 flights
(30 flights)

Location
KittyHawk Aerodrome,
West Sussex,
UK

Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h

Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Airbourne
Sting 3

Launch Type:
Aero Tow

Summary
Tug suffered engine-out during aerotow. Tug released line to hang glider pilot who was initially unable to make a release due to lack of tension. Pilot held the line in his teeth to create tension and was then able to release the line. Further inspection showed the line caught in the open shackle due to it being aligned in the opposite direction to when being towed.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
09.09.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
63

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
42 years

669 hours
(8 hours)

(19 flights)

Location
Llangollen,
Llangollen,
UK

Wind Strength:
30-35 km/h

Conditions:
Strong,
Moderate Turbulence,
Thundery

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Avian
Evo3

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Pilot took off in 30 degree crosswind in windy and thermic conditions. Pilot turned left into the wind but encountered turbulent, lifting and sinking air. Pilot was unable to turn right, despite weight shift, before impacting the slope.

Injury
Pilot:
Seriously Injured,

Cervical Spine

Date
29.08.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
57

Rating:
P

Flying Experience:
41 years

520 hours
(6 hours)

(6 flights)

Location
Pinnacle Hill,
Malverns,
UK

Wind Strength:
25-30 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Avian
Evo

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Pilot attempted to take off in breezy conditions using a nose man. On launching pilot realised that nose man had press on wires resulting in the nose angle being too low. Pilot tried to run but could not get the nose up. Base bar struck the ground and pilot swung through.

Injury
Pilot:
Minor Injuries,

Hands, Arms, Shoulder

Date
04.08.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
67

Rating:
CP

Flying Experience:
50 years

260 hours
(10 hours)

Location
Mendlesham,
Crowfield/Suffolk,
UK

Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Not Turbulent

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Wills Wing
Sport 2

Launch Type:
Winch/vehicle Tow

Summary
Pilot had near miss with military helicopter. Helicopter passed within approx 100m.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
14.07.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
59

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
43 years

5000 hours
(40 hours)

4000 flights
(12 flights)

Location
Monte Cucco north,
Perugia,
Italy

Wind Strength:
0-5 km/h

Conditions:
Moderate,
Moderate Turbulence

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Moyes
Rx3.5 pro

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Nose cone became loose from top surface of glider causing the glider to fly erratically. Glider became gradually worse and pilot decided to land. On landing the pilot found the glider was impossible to slow and nosed in heavily.

Injury
Unknown


Date
12.06.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
59

Rating:
CP

Flying Experience:
8 years

5 hours
(1 hour)

20 flights
(15 flights)

Location
Rhossili,
Swansea,
UK

Wind Strength:
20-25 km/h

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Wing:
Wills Wing
Falcon 3

Launch Type:
Foot

Summary
Pilot crash landed having got too far beyond the ridge. Witness suspects pilot got into leeside turbulence.

Injury
Pilot:
Seriously Injured

Date
12.05.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
47

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
33 years


Location
Lyveden Airfield,
Corby,
UK

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Summary
During release check, pilot's bridle snagged on the test release rig. Bridle had undergone 'quick' repair resulting in an end not properly finished. This was then repaired more appropriately. Release would have failed if used as it was.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Date
26.03.2022

Pilot
Male

Age:
61

Rating:
AP

Flying Experience:
37 years

600 hours
(6 hours)

Location
Balado Aerotow,
UK

Wing Type
Flexwing Hang Glider

Launch Type:
Aero Tow

Summary
Three ring circus failed to release after aerotow. Partially released then held. Pilot managed full release by knocking with his hand. Pilot suspects loops had become stretched over time.

Injury
Pilot:
Unhurt

Last updated: 27 January 2026

Displaying page 4 out of 43

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A number of incident analysis reports are also available in the safety section of main portal, bhpa.co.uk. These are compiled from the individual incident reports submitted during the course of each year.

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