Paraglider said wind conditions were 'a bit bumpy' before fatal crash in Wanaka

David Jongsma died when he hit the side of a mountain while paragliding at Wanaka. Photo / Supplied

A paraglider who died in Wanaka had told another flyer that the weather conditions were "a bit bumpy" just before his fatal crash, a coroner's report says.

David Jongsma, 54, died on January 2 when he crashed while flying near Mt Roy.

In a report released today, Coroner David Robinson said the evidence indicated that he probably died instantly when he struck a cliff face.

The report said Jongsma was a moderately experienced flyer who held the equivalent of a full pilot's license for paragliding.

Jongsma, from Hawea Flat, had been taking lessons since 2016 and had done about 50 hours' flying time. An instructor said he had concerns about some aspects of Jongsma's flying but that for someone of his experience "he was flying very well".

Dean Orton, who flew with Jongsma on the day he died, said his associate was aware of the risks of paragliding. They were both "cautious yet adventurous fliers", he said.

Orton and Jongsma had planned to fly from Treble Cone, over Roy's Peak, and land in Pembroke Park in Wanaka.

The forecast was for the wind to pick up in the afternoon. A third paraglider who was with the two men, known only as Carolyn, was uncomfortable about the level of wind and decided to take a different route to the base of Treble Cone.

Immediately after taking off, Jongsma suffered "wing collapse" but was able to right his paraglider. He told Orton via radio that there was "plenty of lift" but that the air was "a bit bumpy".

Orton abandoned a plan to fly across to Roy's Peak because he became uncomfortable about the wind conditions. He saw Jongsma take a different route and then soon after he saw his paraglider's wings on the ground. He landed as quickly as possible and called emergency services.

Another paraglider, Melanie Heather, said she had observed Jongsma from the ground, and saw three-quarters of his wing collapse before he "dived dramatically".

"I believe he had very little clearance to rectify the situation," she told the coroner. Jongma disappeared from her view and she said that "from his speed ... the outcome would not be good".

Another witness, Timothy Heather, said that if the left wing of Jongsma's paraglider had collapsed rather than the right he would have spun away from the cliff and might have been able to recover. However, he "basically had a head-on" crash into the cliff, Heather said.

A paramedic was winched down from a helicopter to Jongsma and found he had died.

Robinson did not make any recommendations as a result of the death, but he reinforced the need for paragliders to be aware of the potential for wing collapse and its consequences.

He asked for his findings to be made available to the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Parachute Association.