The accident report into Grzegorz Krzyzanowski’s death on 16 June 2014 has been released.
Published by Poland’s State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL) it concludes that the cause of the accident was a rupture of the spreader bars used in the trike was flying.
The reason that the spreader bars ruptured was because Grzegorz had clipped in incorrectly – “Probably because [he wished] to lower the suspension points of the paraglider.”
The three page report concludes with a reminder that “each aircraft … must be operated according to all recommendations and limits of the manufacturer.”
It adds: “Any modifications not agreed with the manufacturer are liable to great risk of incorrect operation or even destruction of particular parts.”
The report also notes that there was no attempt to use the rescue parachute.
Grzegorz was flying a tandem trike with ballast in the passenger seat as part of a training flight to acclimatise himself with the new trike.
He was flying a canopy he knew well and was coming in to land at a height of 60m when the right spreader bar ruptured. The left spreader bar then ruptured, followed by impact.
Grzegorz was flying a Dudek Snake and a Nirvana double seat Cruise Carbon trike with Nirvana tandem spreaders and had a reserve parachute.
The correct and incorrect set-up of carabiners is shown in the report.
Grzegorz learnt to fly in 2005 and was a talented and dedicated pilot. He competed at the highest level, and his competition career culminated in winning the first Slalom World Championships last year.
A married man who ran the family business, Grzegorz had three children, Rose (10), Alexander (7) and Blanka (5).
Emilia Plak, a friend and Polish team mate, spoke for many and said: “He was a happy person and he had a habit to share this happiness with others around him.
“He left suddenly. He left doing what he loved. All people, who were close to him: family, friends, many, many people, we all feel the same, this empty space he left after he is gone. He will be remembered and very much missed.”
The accident report can be downloaded as a pdf here.
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