by Rick Masters » Tue Jul 25, 2017 4:38 pm
Paragliding Forum
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July 21, 2017: I just had my second accident with major injury. I have been flying for five years. At my first accident I broke my back. No operation, after three months I started flying again. I blame myself 100% for this accident. The second accident was due to flying about 5-7 metres above the trees when sudden strong sink hit me about 4m/s. There were several eye witnesses. This happened on 40 m hill, where you have to fly close to the trees at least after takeoff. Some witnesses say it could have happened to all of us flying there. I broke my pelvis, one rib and my shoulder. Two months now since it happened, I am still in a wheelchair, I will start learning to walk again in two or three weeks. After the first incident there was no doubt in my mind that I would continue flying. This time it is different. Bad luck can always hit you. I know I can live without the flying, I have other hobbies. I am having second thoughts if I am cut out for flying. If I have what it takes. I do sometimes take risks light heartedly, e.g. when I don't want to bomb out. I can change that; I will bomb out more often, that's not so bad. But then maybe the next bad-luck-situation will hit me that I didn't anticipate.
July 21, 2017: A few years back I crashed on my back and was very lucky to get away with a broken rib and a pneumothorax (collapsed lung, due to said rib ripping it a new one...). The accident was my fault: almost no flying for a year and then carelessly assuming that I was still on my best game. I was fiddling with the seat close to the ground when a turbulence hit. With only one hand at the brake, I stalled the glider. Well, I soon flew again, but still not much for a couple of years. Three years ago I decided to fly for real again and did a lot of it these past two seasons. I was confident, I was successfull, I was a better pilot. But then... Stupidity hits again... It was just a little hike&fly with friends last December. Nothing difficult, nothing dangerous. This doesn't need your full attention, does it? Not like, you know, the big summer flights in the Alps? WRONG. Due to inattention and carelessness I crashed into a bloody hard mountain, real bad this time. Internal injuries, several broken ribs, some lightly cracked vertebrae, shattered foot and - worst of all - the spine ripped out of the pelvis. Instead of dying there and then or at least being crippled for the rest of my life, I was lucky like hell one more time. Some hikers immediately got a chopper to lift me to a first class hospital, where they nailed me together again.
Several months of hospital and rehab, wheelchair and crutches followed.
July 21, 2017: Broke my back 5 years ago...
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