At approximately 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, a paraglider that launched from Wright Brothers National Memorial’s First Flight Airport landed in the trees.

The pilot, who is from Kitty Hawk, attempted to land on the airstrip at Wright Brothers, but he reported that turbulence caused him to land in tall pine trees along Colington Avenue. The parachute – part of the paragliding equipment – caught the trees and left him suspended approximately 70 feet off the ground.

The Kill Devil Hills Police Department, Kill Devil Hills Fire Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Dare County Sheriff’s Office, Dare County EMS and National Park Service Rangers responded and assisted with the rescue. The Kill Devil Hills Fire Department’s ladder truck and their firefighters were instrumental in performing the successful rescue.

The pilot suffered minor scrapes and did not seek medical care at the scene of the incident, according to a National Park Service press release. The paragliding equipment was damaged and the parachute remains stuck in the trees. Wright Brothers National Memorial staff will contact the pilot to coordinate removal of the parachute.

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