Mini Wing Low Circle South Side Injury February 2017

An avid mini wing pilot did a circle at the South Side in characteristically thermally and light conditions. He failed to complete the circle and met with the hill at training hill level. He suffered a back injury with some associated paralysis that appears to be temporary. Pilot are reminded that choosing to make a circle on a mini wing should not be taken lightly. Many mini wing pilots have never made a circle. Circles on mini wings at the South Side are so uncommon that many, many, many avid pilot and even instructors that are at the hill daily over decades have never even seen one executed. A pilots first circle/ barrel roll etc. should never take place at a small hill. In most cases a first circle can only be done safely with thousands of feet of altitude clearance and with a reserve parachute. It's impossible to predict if a pilot might over brake and spin the mini wing on his/ her first try or if the turn will be so big and slow that it will take up 500 feet and lots of horizontal distance. This is absolutely one of the greatest potential pitfalls for mini wing pilots. Proceed with caution.