Accident near Zugspitze station: paraglider fell onto rocks due to tangled domes
On Sunday, a 59-year-old paraglider from deutschen was involved in an aviation accident near the summit of Zugspitze in Tirol. The man, along with two companions, took off from a shelter in Leutasch and headed in the direction of Mittenwald.
Near the planned turnaround point near the upper Zugspitz-Bergstation, there were sudden problems with the main wing, and the aircraft entered an uncontrolled steep spiral. Since the rock wall was dangerously close, the pilot deployed the reserve parachute. However, the rescue canopy immediately intertwined with the main one and blocked the controls.
The man fell, but the reserve parachute fabric managed to catch on a rock formation, stopping his further fall. An employee of Zugspitzbahn, who witnessed the accident, called for help. Another medical helicopter lifted the victim with a winch; the paraglider, who suffered bruises on his back and right arm, refused to go to the hospital.
Source: In felsiges Gelände - Turbulenzen: Paragleiter stürzte auf Zugspitze ab - Kronen Zeitung
Context
The Zugspitze massif in the Wetterstein Alps is characterized by a high-altitude rocky terrain with a peak height of almost three thousand meters (2962 m) and steep rocky walls. Air flows along the ridge often create complex thermal and wind disturbances, which is why paragliding here requires considerable experience, and there is almost no suitable space for emergency landings in the rocks.