A paraglider in the Austrian Alps survived a midair collision with a Cessna 172 on May 23, after the aircraft cut through parts of her canopy and suspension lines, according to video footage of the incident. The individual flying the paraglider, identified only as a 44-year-old woman, deployed a reserve parachute after the collision and made an emergency landing.
WATCH: A paraglider was hit by a Cessna 172 near Zell am See, Austria, on Saturday but deployed her emergency parachute and landed safely. The plane pilot also landed safely after the midair collision. pic.twitter.com/tZzqaENIud
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 24, 2026
Authorities also have not released the name of the aircraft pilot, identified as a 28-year-old man. Officials said the flight was a scenic flight, not a flight lesson.
Both the paraglider and the pilot sustained serious injuries in connection with the collision, authorities said. Video footage shows the aircraft passing beneath the paraglider’s canopy and severing control lines, but it does not show the aircraft striking the paraglider’s body. The pilot told authorities he was unable to avoid the collision. Officials have not said what type of airspace the aircraft and paraglider were operating in at the time.
Story by guest contributor Teresa Konopka
The right of way rules are pretty clear. Having had a winter engine failure mid N. Atlantic 45 years ago in a brand new Mooney I can understand how the lady felt.
Looking at the video accompanying this article I saw no “See and Avoid” attempts being made by the Cessna pilot. He was flying and maintaining his straight and level flight path and not making any attempt at all to avoid the parachutist. From what I could see in her video I would be surprised to discover that the pilot in the Cessna was experiencing any flight emergencies that might distract from or endanger his own flight. My wife and I were recently visiting in this area, and it seemed to be a popular region in which para-gliders operate. Austrian flight authorities should probably be considering checking out this pilot’s flight awareness capabilities and eyesight. It is only by the grace of God (and the situational awareness of the paraglider) that this incident avoided true tragedy.
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Both para-glider and pilot are very lucky that her suspension lines were severed in the incident. If not, she could have been dragged by the wing, which could have been fatal for both.
Also, as the tail number was crystal clear (OE-KAF), just after contact, a quick look up of the aircraft tail number shows that it was a 1978 C182, not a C172
Absolutely terrifying for everyone involved.
It’s entirely likely the pilot didn’t see the paraglider until too late. If you look at the video you’ll see there are only a few frames where you can see the airplane, either. It would only take a few moments of the pilot looking down at a map, changing a radio frequency, or pointing something out to a passenger, for the paraglider to apparently “appear out of nowhere”.
Those canopy lines are very strong, and they must have transmitted a very violent shock to the paraglider’s body. It’s lucky she wasn’t disabled by that, and was able to get the reserve parachute out.
It’s another reminder to the authorities that we need Electronic Conspicuity (EC) devices suitable (from a cost and power standpoint) for small aircraft like paragliders. Regulators have consistently prevented this. They have insisted on expensive, battery-hogging high-power units capable of communicating with distant ground stations, consistent with a command-and-control mindset, when all that’s really needed is for aircraft to “see” each other. They have prohibited the use of portable devices not tied to an aircraft registration number (paragliders aren’t registered). They have allowed the use of suitable devices on drones but prohibit manned aircraft from carrying them - and even if a paraglider used one, manned aircraft cockpit displays filter them out to reduce clutter because they’re drones and should be down low. Sorry - this is something I’ve grumbled about for years and now we have come very close to a multiple fatality.