Shock in Kirchschlag: Paraglider (72) seriously injured in accident!

Shock in Kirchschlag: Paraglider (72) seriously injured in accident!

On April 16, 2025, a serious accident occurred in Kirchschlag near Linz, in which a 72-year-old paraglider from the Urfahr-Raum district was seriously injured. The incident happened at around 12:57 p.m. when the affected paraglider, who was taking off on a flight with his son, was in the air for about ten minutes. For reasons that are still unclear, he collided with a telephone pole. The force of the impact was so strong that the mast broke. The paraglider then crashed and remained seriously injured on the ground while his son watched the crash from the air.

The son recognized his father's critical situation and immediately flew to the scene of the accident. Once there, he immediately alerted the rescue workers. They arrived shortly afterwards and provided initial medical care for the seriously injured man, who was then taken to the Linz Accident Hospital. The exact circumstances of the accident and the reasons for the collision with the mast are currently unclear, which often leads to further investigations in such cases.

Background to paragliding

According to a study that looked at paragliding accidents in the Alps, around 100,000 people worldwide practice the sport. Previous research has focused primarily on retrospective data from hospitals and rescue organizations, while the causes of accidents and influencing factors have often been inadequately investigated. In an analysis of 487 accidents involving conventional paragliders that occurred between 2015 and 2017 in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, it was found that 88.5% of the affected pilots were male and the average age of the pilots was 42.9 years.

Most accidents occurred during the afternoon hours in summer, with the majority of incidents occurring during the flight phase. Pilot error and unfavorable wind conditions, such as strong winds or gusts, are among the most common causes of accidents. In 14.6% of the cases the pilots were uninjured, but the lower extremities were affected in 35.5% of the injured people. Particular risks also arise from the turbulent conditions, especially in the summer months, which can lead to a higher number of accidents.

Conclusions and recommendations

The study indicates that in 45 of the 487 accidents analyzed the outcome was fatal. This highlights the dangers associated with paragliding. To increase safety, training in dealing with difficult situations and more consistent documentation of paragliding accidents are recommended. The introduction of a uniform, cross-border form for recording accidents could also lead to comparable data, which could be crucial for future investigations and the improvement of safety standards in this sporting area.

Given recent events and the above accident statistics, it is clear that both recreational paragliders and experts need to be made aware of the need for precautions and training. The incident in Kirchschlag near Linz will certainly lead to further discussion about safety standards in paragliding.