Man, 63, dies after 20m paragliding fall near Innisfail

A 63-year-old man had died as a result of injuries sustained in a Cassowary Coast paragliding accident on Monday afternoon.

The man was paragliding in the Mena Creek area when the accident happened.

A 63-year-old man has died following a 20m fall in a paragliding accident southwest of Innisfail on Monday afternoon.

The Utchee Creek man sustained serious injuries when he fell from a motorised parachute at Mena Creek and died during transit to Cairns Hospital.

Emergency services were called to Polich Road just before 5.40pm on Monday, July 7, following reports of the incident.

Senior Sergeant Michele Rix Officers, said officers arrived to find the 63 year-old man with “significant” chest and leg injuries.

“He had leg and chest injuries, but I don’t know the circumstances of those injuries,” she said.

He was initially treated at the scene before being taken to Innisfail Hospital about 7.30pm and then flown to Cairns Hospital.

Sergeant Rix said the accident was a traumatic experience for everyone involved.

“It was a very traumatic experience for both the man that was with the deceased male and witnesses as well as the family of the deceased man,” she said.

“Police are providing support services to all those people.”

Innisfail Police will prepare a report for the Coroner, with investigations continuing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The paraglider has been seized by police for further testing and police will be preparing a report for the coroner,” Sergeant Rix said.

A Cairns-based hang gliding enthusiast, who asked not to be named, said paragliding was usually a safe sport governed by the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia.

He said powered paragliding using an engine that’s strapped to the pilot’s back without any airframe or landing gear is known as a paramotor device.

It’s understood the pilot killed on Monday was operating a paramotor-style aircraft.

“They are quite popular overseas,” he said.

“If it’s just a mechanical failure you would glide down, it’s like any other aircraft.

“It’s a matter of if you can find a paddock to land in.

“If a line got caught in the propeller that would be catastrophic in the air but I have no idea what happened.

“Could be environmental, it could be mechanical or it could be pilot error.”

Paramotors do require operators to be certified through the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia which is the only approved sport aviation organisation authorised by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to certify pilots flying hang gliders, paragliders and microlights.

It’s understood the man was a very experienced pilot and he had been flying for many years when the accident happened.

The accident was reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau but due to paragliders being classified as sports aviation the ATSB won’t be investigating.

Its understood SAFA will be the lead agency investigating the incident.

Originally published as Man, 63, dies after 20m paragliding fall near Innisfail