Investigations are ongoing into what caused a paraglider to sustain serious injuries on Te Mata Peak. Photo / Supplied.
Investigations are ongoing into what caused a paraglider to sustain serious injuries on Te Mata Peak. Photo / Supplied.
A crash that left a paraglider on Te Mata Peak with serious injuries could have been the result of "inexperience", initial inquiries suggest.
The man, in his 50s, was transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital in a serious condition on Tuesday evening after emergency services lifted him off the track.
He has remained in hospital in a stable condition since.
New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association chief executive Evan Lamberton said the paraglider was "fairly new" to the sport.
"It is a mishap on launch caused by probably inexperience and the type of conditions that he had," he said.
"He set up to launch on the Telecom Launch, I think the club call it, and from what I hear, he inflated his wing, but it inflated slightly off-centre and it simply pulled him sideways into a fence."
The man broke his leg and injured his shoulder.
The association is investigating the accident, as they do with all that result in injury.
While the sport was well-regulated, Lamberton said it came down to each pilot to mitigate the risks, including whether the conditions and flying area are suitable to their skill level.
"Sometimes people make that judgement slightly wrong and they end up getting hurt as a result.
"We try to minimise that but it is a result of getting out in the world and doing things I suppose."
The accident rate with paragliding is "no worse" than other outdoor sports, Lamberton said.
