For Peng Yujiang, a professional paraglider from north-west China’s Gansu Province, last Saturday’s routine equipment test could have ended in loss of life. While testing a second-hand paragliding harness at a training site approximately 3,000 meters above sea level, an unexpected updraft catapulted him to an altitude of 8,598 meters without supplemental oxygen. This traumatic ordeal has led to a six-month flight leave for the pilot.
Having paraglided for four and a half years, Yujiang is a B-level pilot. Yet on the day of the incident, he was totally turned around. He recalled that moment, as he was raised into the upper atmosphere, as one of the scariest in his life. “I found myself surrounded by cumulonimbus clouds and trapped inside,” he stated. The rapid change in elevation put him in extremely cold temperatures. Immediately, ice crystals began to form across his face, body, and equipment.
The Flight and Its Consequences
When he tried to do a dry run test of his set up, Yujiang experienced all the complications he hadn’t expected. He had just recently purchased a second-hand parachute harness and was practicing shaking out a ground-loosening parachute shake. Without warning, fierce winds blew him high above the trees!
I had recently purchased a used paragliding harness, and I wanted to try it out. So I was conducting ground parachute shaking. Then, out of nowhere, the wind blew hard and blew me into the air. I attempted to touch down as early as I could but wasn’t able to,” Yujiang said.
The boost he received was not only shocking but life-threatening. As he climbed higher, he lost his orientation and found it very difficult to get it back. That was very scary. I could only see white; everything outside was completely white. The truth is, without the compass I might’ve ended up lost and never found the right path. I felt like I was flying level, but I actually was in a spin. Finally, I was able to take off in the direction of the north-east,” he recalled.
Navigating Extreme Conditions
Making such elevations without the use of supplemental oxygen created tremendous health and safety challenges for Yujiang. He faced bitter cold and high-altitude conditions, which made it all the more difficult to orient himself and maneuver. Ice crystals immediately developed in the intense subzero temperatures. They compounded his agony as he fought to keep his plane from crashing.
Despite the daunting circumstances, Yujiang showed incredible determination and strength. In the end, he was able to break free of the clouds and fly down towards safety. “As soon as I came out of the clouds, I was very excited because I had survived,” he reflected on the ordeal. The worst moment was when I realized I was pulling out of the spiral and not doing anything and when the canopy went into a nosedive. It’s still frightening to think about.”
Authorities Respond
Following this incident local regulators have grounded all of Yujiang’s flying activities pending further notice. His flight path and airspace were never approved prior to the crash taking place. As a direct result, he received a six month suspension of his paragliding privileges.
Yujiang’s experience is similar to that of German paraglider Ewa Wisnierska. In 2007, after she found herself on the unexpected wrong side of a massive storm complex, she infamously survived unthinkable conditions. Her untimely death, like others before her, reminds us of the unique dangers that come with the most action-packed sports.
