An Alberta glider pilot died after ejecting from his plane and hitting the ground during a competition last year. An investigation found that the pilot had a working parachute but limited experience deploying it.
Gliding conditions were poor on the seventh day of the 2024 Canadian National Soaring Competition last May about 60 kilometres south of Calgary near Diamond Valley, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in an incident report published Tuesday. Many competitors had turned back after flying for less than 20 minutes on what was supposed to be a three-part, 400-kilometre journey, the report said.
After 23 minutes of flying, and reversing course, 65-year-old Kerry Stevenson of Calgary tried to gain altitude by turning, but his glider stalled. Flight data recovered from the glider showed Stevenson, who had 30 years of flying experience and was a flight instructor, was less than half a kilometre above ground when the glider started barrelling down at a high speed and he ejected. Investigators had previously determined his parachute didn't open, and he died after hitting the ground.The incident report said Stevenson's parachute was inspected after the crash by Canadian Armed Forces specialists, who identified two issues. The first was that the parachute and harness were 26 years old, which surpassed the manufacturer's recommended 20-year service life. The other issue was that the last time the parachute was professionally examined and certified was in March of 2023. The report said the parachute should have been examined in January of 202
Gliding Competition Accident Parachute Investigation
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