SAFA Skysailor Magazine

64 SKY SAILOR March-April-May | AUTUMN 2025 #1700 – Melodramatic PG landing at Tamborine BO, Qld/S PIC had launched their paraglider from Mt Tamborine (Qld/S). They were expe- riencing some strong gusts whilst in the air and decided to land at the bomb-out. After arriving over the landing field, they washed off altitude and set up with a base leg over Wagonwheel Road. As they progressed to about halfway across the width of the LZ, they realised they were too high and initiated a downwind 270º turn to the right to lose some more height before landing. The wing picked up speed, swooping and dropping rapidly through the turn. As they came through the turn, they thought they would crash into the parked cars or the club house if the turn was held. PIC straightened up (now facing down Wagonwheel Road) and saw the power lines directly in front of them, between a pole-mounted transformer on the left and the club house to the right. PIC turned hard left and crashed feet first into a timber fence of the property bounding Wagonwheel Road, opposite the club house, falling to the footpath with the wing draped over the diagonal brace supporting the transformer pole. PIC was uninjured, but the lines on one side of the glider were severely damaged. PIC has identified poor decision-making on their part: a 90º turn left onto final approach over the BO would have ended the flight without incident (maybe further down the BO than ideal but a much safer option). When arriving over a LZ with plenty of altitude, concentrate on the conditions, take the time to assess these, and set up for a safe landing, as well as formulate a Plan B if things do not play out as anticipated. Now, let’s go to some very recent reports… AIRS Safety Wrap-up