Paragliding Fall Survival: 9,000ft & Flying Again
- A relaxing paragliding (primary_keyword) flight over the French Alps turned into a harrowing ordeal for Steve Barnett, 57, when his glider's wing collapsed 9,000 feet in the air.
- Barnett recounted hearing a "pitter patter" on the wing that quickly escalated into snapping adn crackling sounds as the moisture weighed it down.
- despite his injuries, Barnett managed to call fellow paraglider Matt Roach, 47, for assistance.
A paragliding (primary_keyword) flight over the French Alps took a terrifying turn for Steve Barnett, 57, when his glider’s wing failed at 9,000ft. Read how the retired counter-terrorism officer plummeted 30 feet through trees, suffering a broken pelvis. Fellow paraglider, Matt Roach, coordinated the rescue that saved Barnett from a potentially fatal scenario. Remarkably, after a quick recovery, Barnett was back home in Seaford, East Sussex, just two days later, ready to fly again. This account of a harrowing paragliding accident (secondary_keyword1, secondary_keyword2), includes his firsthand account of the wing collapse, his injuries, and the swift rescue. Follow the story via News Directory 3,exploring lessons in resilience,and a love for paragliding. Discover what’s next …
Paraglider’s Alps Flight Turns Perilous After Wing Collapse
Updated June 09, 2025
A relaxing paragliding (primary_keyword) flight over the French Alps turned into a harrowing ordeal for Steve Barnett, 57, when his glider’s wing collapsed 9,000 feet in the air. The retired counter-terrorism officer was flying near Passy in southeastern France when he encountered a storm cloud that saturated his wing, leading to the accident.
Barnett recounted hearing a “pitter patter” on the wing that quickly escalated into snapping adn crackling sounds as the moisture weighed it down. The wing failed, sending him plummeting 30 feet through trees before hitting the ground at an estimated 40 mph. The impact resulted in a broken pelvis.
despite his injuries, Barnett managed to call fellow paraglider Matt Roach, 47, for assistance. Roach, who was also in the air at the time, located Barnett and alerted a rescue helicopter. Barnett was then airlifted to a hospital near the Italian border.
Remarkably, Barnett was released from the hospital after only two days and returned to his home in Seaford, East Sussex.
“There was a big cloud and I started hearing a pitter patter on the wing… Then all I could hear was this snapping, crackling and rippling,” Barnett said.
Despite the severity of the accident, Barnett remains undeterred. ”I can’t wait to get back into the sky,” he said.
What’s next
Barnett plans to recover fully and return to paragliding as soon as he is able, demonstrating his passion for the sport despite the risks.