Man dies in Serbia Paragliding Accident

BELGRADE, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) — Pilot of a powered paraglider lost his life early Thursday morning near the city of Subotica after he lost control and crashed into a field.
The accident took place near the sport airport “Bikovo”, some 200 kilometers north of the Serbia’s capital Belgrade at around 6:30 a.m.
According to the media, 39-year-old Sasa Dzoganovic from the nearby city of Backa Topola who was a beginner in paramotoring, succumbed to injuries as a consequence of the fall.
Milan Radojcin, president of the aeroclub “Ivan Saric” who provided training for the pilot, told Serbian national broadcaster RTS that the deceased had 20 flight hours, and explained that this was his first independent flight.
According to witnesses, immediately after the take-off, the man started circling around the runway, and three minutes later he crashed into a farm next to the airport.
“We have noticed that he is starting to circle, instead of attempting a landing. Most probably the problem was not in the aircraft, but in something unexpected that happened,” Radojcin said.
Police and the Commission of the Civil Aviation Directorate are expected to determine the cause of the accident.