Terrifying popping in freak gliding accident
A PILOT underwent surgery for a second time late on Sunday after a freak hang-gliding accident at the Rex Lookout at Wangetti.
At midday on Saturday emergency services were called to the section of the Captain Cook Highway north of Cairns to extricate an injured hang-glider pilot whose equipment had failed after takeoff.
The pilot’s daughter said her father experienced a terrifying moment when he heard a snapping sound coming from the wing of the craft.
“He flies there and has been for 17 years but (on Saturday) he did his normal checks and (had) taken off as normal,” she said. “But just after he launched he heard a ‘pop’ and one of his tension wires gave way, and that’s the reason he landed on the hill.”
Tension wires form part of the aircraft’s rigging that connect the harness and control bar to the sail.
It’s understood an updraft got hold of the craft and pitched it onto rocky hills on the west side of the highway.
Cairns motorist Damien Ingram said emergency services weren’t able to extract the man from where he had fallen with the helicopter and instead had to land on the Captain
Cook Highway to get him.
“Traffic was closed in both directions and were held up for the better part of an hourand-a-half,” he said.
“It looks like he went over the lookout and landed in the bushes on the other side.”
The pilot, who asked not to be named, called on all his experience to guide the crippled craft back to earth as best he could.
“He had no control and tried to aim for some trees,” the pilot’s daughter said.
A rescue chopper flew the pilot to Cairns Hospital where he underwent surgery on a compound fracture to his leg.
He went under the knife a second time on Sunday.
“And he has broken his ankle, but we have not heard anything about spinal injury, which is good,” she said.
“He is overwhelmed, I can tell he is in shock but he is very strong and is articulate.”
Cairns Hang Gliding Club, of which the pilot was a supporter, notified members of the accident on social media on Sunday afternoon.
“Thanks everyone for your support. We wish our pilot a speedy recovery,” the group said.