http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37329
2014 Pre-Worlds accident report
Landing at high altitude (Valle de Bravo, Mexico)
Miguel Gutierrez - 2014/04/28
1. - Overview: During the initial safety meeting and, throughout the meet, organizers advised pilots to put special attention on landings.
Did anybody advise anybody to use safe wheels? Just kidding.
This, due to the inherent risky conditions consistent with a high altitude mountainous place like Valle de Bravo.
A little over six grand. Big fuckin' deal.
Winds were shifty, and landing zones small and scarce.
Complaints of turbulence - especially inside the launch/start cylinder, were frequent. Although no in-air collisions or tumbles occurred.
We also saw the abandonment of pilots due to the unsatisfactory safety conditions of the area.
Good move.
Finally, and as was expected, several bad landings happened.
In a foot landing culture when is that NOT a pretty safe bet?
Broken down bars, for instance, were in the two digit mark, but this is only speculation.
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Jim Rooney - 2013/02/28 01:17:55 UTC
Well said Billo
I'm a bit sick of all the armchair experts telling me how my friend died.
Ah but hg'ers get so uppity when you tell them not to speculate.
Valle de Bravo presents an environment demanding of the highest skill level.
Especially when the ambient judgment level totally sucks.
Reason for which - we consider, the competition was very first rate and extremely technical.
2. - Safety: The organization, through the support of local, regional, and federal government, provided more than sufficient elements to guarantee an expedited attention to injured pilots.
Pound of cure.
3. - Summary of injured pilots: All injuries took place upon landing...
http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=22176
Paragliding Collapses
Jim Rooney - 2011/06/12 13:57:58 UTC
Most common HG injury... spiral fracture of the humerus.
Gil Dodgen - 1995/01
All of this reminds me of a comment Mike Meier made when he was learning to fly sailplanes. He mentioned how easy it was to land a sailplane (with spoilers for glide-path control and wheels), and then said, "If other aircraft were as difficult to land as hang gliders no one would fly them."
...and were attended on site with an ambulance, and in severe cases were transported to different health institutions depending on the type of insurance covering the pilot.
Day 1. - Kathleen Rigg: Experienced pilot, had flown Valle de Bravo previously, had a bad flare, resulting in a sprained wrist.
Narrow dry riverbed with large rocks strewn all over the place, right?
She subsequently decided to not fly any more.
A great time was had by all.
Day 3. - Particularly turbulent day.
Incident 1. - Rob Gregg, of Great Britain, attempted to land on what from the sky looked like a rather inviting field, was surprised to find out it was a peach plantation... overshooting such field anyway, eventually coming to a stop hitting a fence. Taken to Valle de Bravo on an ambulance, to undergo surgery the next day under the French team's doctor. For obvious reasons did not continue to fly the competition.
Did they check...
...his testicles for any problems in the magnitude and multitude departments?
Incident 2. - Sun Gun Mo, South Korean pilot, only spoke Korean...
Sum ting wong, wi tu lo, ho lee fuk, bang ding ow.
...landed near a waypoint in an ample field according to his track log, which we analyzed, set up a proper approach, to then veer of course and finally crash with the left side of his helmet. This account was from local bystanders, since the pilot did not remember the final moments of the event. His gear upon inspection revealed no apparent damage to his helmet, and his glider only suffered a broken down tube.
Although his injury was minor, he presented a small hemorrhage from an ear, that and the fact that he spoke no English or Spanish and was in a considerable pain, led local safety and rescue authorities to demand a helicopter extraction to a bigger and more specialized hospital in Toluca City, and although he did not have any type of medical insurance, was given high priority upon arrival. He was cleared from the hospital the next day with a couple of stitches on his chin.
Incident 3. - Gabriel Lagos, local pilot, had a bad...
...attempted standup...
...landing...
...on a wheel friendly putting green...
...and had a blow to his wrist, attended on site by an ambulance to subsequently decide to have his driver take him to a private hospital of his preference where an x-ray revealed a fissure to his right radius bone. Did not continue in the competition.
Day 4 & 5. - Manuel Rivero and Rodrigo Alva suffered cuts in their legs with no consequences other than stitches, both continued to fly the rest of the meet.
4. - Summary:
- Kathleen Rigg, GBR, 20 - 2014/03/01 - sprained wrist - Landing Ambulance - rest, complete recovery
- Rob Gregg, GBR, 31 - 2014/03/03 - broken left humerus - Landing Ambulance - surgery, complete recovery
- Sun Gun Mo, South Korea, 38 - 2014/03/03 - jaw impact, mild concussion - Landing Helicopter extraction - stitches, complete recovery
- Gabriel Lagos, Mexico - 2014/03/03 - sprained wrist - Landing Ambulance - complete recovery
- Manuel Rivero, Mexico - 2014/03/04 - cut to the leg - Landing Ambulance - stitches, complete recovery
- Rodrigo Alva, Mexico - 2014/03//05 - cut to the leg - Landing - complete recovery
In conclusion, launch and flight portions presented no safety issues. Very thorough hang checks were performed before launch...
...after which everyone could safely assume everyone was connected to his glider...
...and aggressive pilots were approached and warned. In-cloud flying was not reported...
It so seldom is.
...although flying close to base was sometimes witnessed.
Kinda hard to witness people who've gone into the clouds, isn't it?
Controlled airspaces were utilized, but to the awareness of the authorities. No serious incidents were reported.
Broken humeri and mild concussions not being considered serious crash consequences, of course - especially when the happen to somebody else.
That way when a weak link breaks on you, ITS A NON-ISSUE. Genius huh??? 
