Man holds on for dear life in hang-gliding mishap

[GR8 2B]

See the vid at the bottom.

Man holds on for dear life in hang-gliding mishap - WND - WND

An American tourist in Switzerland was forced to hang on for his life when his instructor didn't properly attach his harness just before they went hang-gliding.

Chris Gursky, who lives in Florida, posted a video of the ordeal on YouTubeMonday, and it has garnered more than a million views in just one day.

When Gursky and his instructor took flight, they quickly realized something was wrong.

“I was just trying to stay calm, just trying to hold on for dear life,” Gursky told "Good Morning America."

The video shows Gursky trying to hold on to the glider and his instructor as they go higher and higher. At some point, the instructor puts his hand on Gursky’s hand to try and keep him from falling.

“I looked down once and I thought to myself, ‘This is it. I'm going to fall to my death. I'm a goner,’” he said. “I didn't have much grip left in me at all. My hand was opening, I was slipping. I had his pant leg, that was about it.”

Fortunately, the pilot was eventually able to land.

“By the time we hit the ground, or I hit the ground, I would say we were going about 45 miles an hour,” Gursky said.

Gursky said his wrist was broken from the abrupt landing and he had to have a surgery. He also tore his bicep muscle.

Despite the ordeal, Gursky's not done with hang-gliding, and will try it again.

“The landing was a rough one, but I lived to tell the story,” Gursky wrote.

 

[Gatordiddy]

“By the time we hit the ground, or I hit the ground, I would say we were going about 45 miles an hour,” Gursky said.

Gursky said his wrist was broken from the abrupt landing and he had to have a surgery. He also tore his bicep muscle.

Despite the ordeal, Gursky's not done with hang-gliding, and will try it again.

“The landing was a rough one, but I lived to tell the story,” Gursky wrote.

"I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings...
Coming down is the hardest thing"

 

[Swamp Queen]

Watched this yesterday....freaking terrifying!

 

[Swamp Donkey]

There is really no excuse for this. You are supposedly an instructor professional and when you are doing things that involve someone's life, you have to triple check. There actually should probably be safety supervisor checking the safety who checks the instructor.

Hell, you can't get your oil changed at jiffy lube without someone coming behind, checking torques and re measuring the oil.

This is borderline criminal negligence.

That being said part of the training should be to let go as soon as you realize you aren't hanging properly. which like would have been at just a few feet off the ground.