Paraglider injured in Niviuk Artik R crash, report cites pilot error from negative skill transfer

A paraglider was injured when his Niviuk Artik R crashed in Hong Kong's Po Pin area on 9 July 2026. The investigation found the pilot, experienced with EN-B gliders, applied excessive left brake on the EN-C glider, causing a stall and spin due to negative skill transfer.

The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) on 5 October 2026 released its report into a paragliding accident involving a Niviuk Artik R glider. The incident occurred on 9 July 2026 at about 12:10 pm local time in the Po Pin paragliding area.

According to the report, the pilot, flying alone, took off and was in the air for approximately 23 minutes. While preparing to land, the glider descended into grassland. The pilot was injured and lost consciousness.

The investigation found that the pilot, while adjusting his approach, applied excessive left brake to the EN-C rated glider. The report attributes this to a "negative transfer" effect, likely stemming from the pilot's extensive prior experience flying EN-B gliders. The excessive brake input caused the left side of the wing to stall, sending the glider into a left spin that resulted in the crash.

The AAIA issued a safety recommendation to the Hong Kong China Paragliding Association and the International Paragliding Commission. It reminds all paragliding participants in Hong Kong to adopt defensive measures to reduce the risk of negative transfer when switching between gliders of different classes.

The investigation was conducted by a professional team in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. An AAIA spokesperson said: "The purpose of the investigation is to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident to prevent similar incidents from recurring."

The AAIA, an independent body under the Transport and Logistics Bureau, conducted the probe under the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Accident Investigation) Regulations (Cap. 448B). The full report is available on the AAIA website.