Cliff Collision

From: BH
Activity_Date: 3/25/01
Remote Name: 4.33.112.238

Comments

Yesterday at More Mesa I was flying in light, SSE winds, in the large, western-most bowl with my light harness sans reserve. I made an upwind turn and, because conditions were slackening, approached the western face most directly perpendicular to the wind at 25 mph, or so, with my wing above the mesa top, my body slightly below. As I approached the ridge expecting to receive the usual lift so I could make one more turn downwind to topland, my wing suddenly lost pressure and collapsed. My forward momentum carried me into the cliff face, the wing partially inflated dropping me to a spot about 30 feet from the beach where I came to rest, clinging to the slope like a wounded spider. (I was able to gingerly slide the remaining distance without incident and suffered nothing but a bruise on my right arm, thanks to my flight suit, boots, helmet, knee protection and to Glen who saw me from the air after the collapse and landed on the beach to direct my descent.)

Unfortunately, Glen and I were the only pilots still flying at the time and he was flying in the opposite direction and didn't see me until I came to rest on the lower slope of the cliff face. Thus, I have no objective opinion about what happened. I may have hit rotor from the cliff face but I've never encountered such a thing before and find it hard to understand the mechanics, given the wind direction and velocity.

Following on the heals of two parachutages, two stalls and a front tuck, I'm suddenly feeling insecure about this wing and think it may be time to replace it before I encounter something more serious. Any ideas about what happened yesterday? Am I being paradnoid or should I begin trying new wings now and permanently retire the X-Act? Let me know what you think.