A Cessna 172 collided midair with a 44-year-old paraglider pilot near Zell am See in Austria’s Pinzgau region, tearing through the canopy during a sightseeing flight. The paraglider pilot deployed her reserve parachute, landed on a forest road, and survived with bruises and contusions.
The collision occurred on May 23, 2026, near Piesendorf, above the Pinzgauer Hütte. The paraglider had launched from Schmittenhöhe and was flying toward Piesendorf when the aircraft approached from behind. Video captured from the paraglider shows the canopy being shredded moments before the wing collapsed and the craft began spinning.
The Cessna pilot, a 28-year-old man from Tyrol, was flying from the Glemmtal area toward Zell am See and later landed safely at Zell am See Airport. He reportedly told police he was unable to avoid the paraglider in time.