[Bob Kuczewski]

My phone started ringing ... lots of friends reporting the news.

News 8 Headline:
    2 dead after midair collision at Torrey Pines Gliderport
      http://www.cbs8.com/story/40098438/2-dead-after-accident-at-torrey-pines-glider-port

More information as it unfolds ...

[Bob Kuczewski]

FOX 5 in San Diego:

  Two killed in glider accident at Torrey Pines
      https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/03/09/two-killed-in-glider-accident-at-torrey-pines/amp/

I guess no one told FOX 5 how to spell "paraglider".

[Bob Kuczewski]

It looks like FOX 5 updated their headline:

https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/03/09/two ... pines/amp/

2 paragliders killed in mid-air collision above Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO — Two people were killed in a mid-air paragliding accident above Torrey Pines Saturday, officials confirmed.

The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. near the park’s glider port. Lifeguards said two men — both experienced at the sport — somehow collided, tangling up their parachutes before falling about 75 feet and crashing into the cliffside.

Around 4 p.m., police confirmed that both people had been killed.

San Diego Fire-Rescue had to use a helicopter to recover the bodies because of their position on the cliff, officials said. One of the men was from Orange County and was in the process of getting a certification, while the other man was from San Diego and had even more experience, officials explained.

No further identification for the men was provided.

[wingspan33]

I doubt it would have happened if it were two hang gliders flying. Still, sad for the families. I wonder what the rating of each pilot was? Perhaps one was an P-0.

On a meaner note I hope the survivors sue Air California Adventure Inc. out of existence. Maybe even the city of San Diego?

[Bob Kuczewski]

2 paragliders killed in mid-air collision above Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO — Two people were killed in a mid-air paragliding accident above Torrey Pines Saturday, officials confirmed.

The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. near the park’s glider port. Lifeguards said two men — both experienced at the sport — somehow collided, tangling up their parachutes before falling about 75 feet and crashing into the cliffside.

Around 4 p.m., police confirmed that both people had been killed.

San Diego Fire-Rescue had to use a helicopter to recover the bodies because of their position on the cliff, officials said. One of the men was from Orange County and was in the process of getting a certification, while the other man was from San Diego and had even more experience, officials explained.

No further identification for the men was provided.

    "both experienced at the sport"
    "One of the men ... was in the process of getting a certification"

"Experienced" ... but "getting a certification"?

Sounds like USHPA's misinformation machine is already at work.

I doubt it would have happened if it were two hang gliders flying.

You're right. I heard - unofficially - that it was a ridge rule violation. Torrey requires an H4 for hang glider pilots. H4 pilots know the ridge rules.

I wonder if one of them might have been on radio like Shannon Hamby. We'll probably never know. U$HPA will have obliterated their rating information by the time the public even knows their names.

[wingspan33]

It's sure not impossible that one was a P-0 who had a couple previous flights (possibly as a tandem passenger?) and the other a P-1 who maybe had half a dozen solo flights.

And "even had more experience" only implies that the first had some amount of experience while the second had some (small?) degree of greater experience.

I think the FAA should be called in to investigate. Two aviators died and it shouldn't have happened.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Another update:

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Two paragliders died in a crash at the Torrey Pines Gliderport following a midair collision on Saturday.

San Diego Police say the two men collided and became entwined in glider cord before falling seventy-five feet to the cliffs below. 

Not much was known about the two men other than one was from San Diego and the other was from Orange County. There ages were listed as 61 and 43 but it is unknown which one was from where. 

Lifeguards say one of the men was flying to get his advanced pilot certificate. 

Witnesses told News 8 the area was very windy at the time of the collision.

A San Diego Fire-Rescue helicopter assisted lifeguards in the recovery effort.

[JoeF]

Statements in clip may not be accurate; verification is needed:

pgfpostOnTwoPGdieMar9of2019.JPG (42.1 KiB) Viewed 12075 times

Condolences to the friends and family members of the two pilots.

[JoeF]

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Same author posted at CSS forum:

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[Bob Kuczewski]

From the Second Sunday topic:

Might the commercial concessionaire close because of the incident today?

Unlikely. They will practically step over the bodies to keep their tandem cash register ringing. I'll bet they're flying tomorrow.