G Force

The Harness

The state of the harness gives a good indication of the loads generated during the spin. Tears through the cordura are extensive, the back-up webbing failed at the stitching and the backplate is in sections. I have no recollection of hitting any part of the glider during the accident but it is possible I connected with the A-frame during the tumbles and damaged the downtubes in the process.

Back-up webbing separated when stitching failed due to diagonal load after backplate failure in the spins.

The backplate broke into three sections. To the left is the slider bar still connect to the mains, carabiner, hang strap and 'dingle dangle', all of which remained connected to the glider.

The slider, main riser, carabiner and hang strap which (it goes without saying) should have remained connected to the harness.

1/3 of the backplate broken longitudinally (slider bar tearing through) and laterally (from G-force in spin).

Al Daniel and Shane Duncan piecing things together that afternoon.

The Glider

Damage to the glider started at 6500' and took only a matter of seconds. The airframe showed failures from positive and negative 'G' ergo: tumble. The glider was found in a field about 1km from where I touched down.

Chris Jones found this section of keel a short distance from the glider.

Nose wire failed at crimp.

Backbone of the glider, the keel, looking worse for wear. Downtube not much better. The stinger extension was never found. Keel wire failure at crimp.

Expense break. Gloves and harness show no signs of carbon fibre and I have no recollection of hitting the basebar or A frame. Damage during the spin?

Keel broke in two spots. One break looks like a negative load and the other looks positive. I have no memory of hitting the keel nor is there bruising etc to support this body. The spin likely to be the cause.

The hang strap pillar folded back and partly recessed into the keel. Significant G force required to do this damage. The spin was destructive despite accelerating smoothly to it's maximum.

The missing stinger! Separated during the spin? The A-frame shows evidence of point loads but I do not recall connecting with the down tubes and have no bruising or injury to suggest this.

The leading edges and cross-bars remained in tact. The nose plates are deformed with RHS bolt torn through.

The Instruments

A few days later a farmer out working in a field found my instruments. This is incredible not only because the location was no where near where I touched down or where the glider landed, but amazingly the GPS was undamaged.

Brauniger Comp shattered front and back.

Instrument mount.

Bracket bent 30 degrees.

Failure of carbon and glass.

The GPS could not give a tracklog of the accident because the mount separated from the glider during the tumbles, from then on we went our separate ways. In any case the time stamp interval of 3 seconds wouldn't provided much detail of the flight path other than rate of descent etc.

The Body

9 broken ribs. Collapsed lung. Fractured sternum. Flail fracture of chest.

Aero medivac to John Hunter Hospital

The eyes starting to clear up by day 5.

Lucky to be alive! Day 12.