A dramatic video shows the moment a Cessna 172 struck a paraglider over Austria, tearing through the canopy and sending the woman into an emergency descent before she deployed her reserve parachute and survived.
The collision happened on May 23, 2026, near Piesendorf, close to Zell am See in Austria’s Pinzgau region, according to Austrian media reports citing police.
The 44-year-old paraglider pilot from Upper Austria had launched from Schmittenhöhe, a mountain popular with paragliders, and was flying toward Piesendorf when the Cessna approached from behind and collided with her parachute above the Pinzgauer Hütte. Video recorded by the paraglider shows the Cessna passing just overhead before the canopy is shredded and collapses before beginning to spin uncontrollably.
The woman deployed her reserve parachute and landed on a forest road. She suffered bruises and contusions but avoided serious injury, according to local reports.
The Cessna pilot, a 28-year-old man from Tyrol, was flying from the Glemmtal area toward Zell am See on a sightseeing flight. He landed the aircraft safely at Zell am See Airport after the collision.
The Cessna pilot reportedly told police that he could not avoid the paraglider before the collision.
The video, later posted online by the paraglider pilot, shows how quickly the encounter developed. After the canopy is hit, she works frantically to regain control and deploy the reserve chute while the damaged paraglider spins around her.
Zell am See Airport serves light aircraft traffic, while the surrounding mountains attract recreational flying and aerial sports.