http://emmacasanova.blogspot.com.au/

We have recently received tragic news which will modify
organisation of the beginning of this PWC Mexico in Valle de Bravo.

There will be more news as of tomorrow.

On the XC Magazine Facebook page:

A PWC pilot died while flying at Valle de Bravo, Mexico, before
the competition is due to begin. We have asked the PWCA for an official
statement, which they say they will release later this evening.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=p399032#p399032

I am in Mexico. Yesterday was not an official practice day. There
was a practice task that was not organized or condoned in any way by the PWC or
the local organizers, just written by a pilot on a board at launch for whoever
wanted to fly a task for fun. The air was stable and somewhat nasty, though I
found it overall not as rough as Thursday. We started at Divisa, went out on the
flats to Aguila, then across the mesa past town to Elefante. From Aguila to
Elefante many routes are possible. Some of us climbed at "the wall", next to the
Penon, then took a line along the south edge of the mesa to the east, behind the
Penon, turning left before the launch ridge to aim northeast toward Sacamacate,
the eastern-most of the volcanic bumps along the north edge of the mesa. The
accident happened perhaps half a minute behind me; when I looked around I
happened to see a Boomerang spiraling fast but under control. I was puzzled for
a moment, then I thought it must be Torsten Siegel, who I knew was flying a
prototype Boom 10 yesterday, goofing around and testing it, because he does
things like that. I didn't think any more about it. In fact it was Michael Sigel
who was going down to help. He landed nearby, and there was nothing he could do.

The pilot was on an Enzo 2. I have heard about the incident from credible people
who have talked to witnesses, but not directly from an actual witness. If anyone
reading this saw it, please correct any errors. These are only my
understandings. The pilot was apparently flying fast (no one knows how fast)
fairly low to the trees, less than 200 meters. Apparently he had a frontal and a
reaction that may have put the glider below him. He may have had lines tangle
around his harness. He got his reserve out but it did not open in time. He went
into the trees in a fast rotation. At some point his helmet came off. He
suffered a severe head injury. His helmet was found undamaged nearby.

This pilot was so highly skilled that it is impossible for anyone to brush this
off, to say "it couldn't happen to me." Which perhaps can help us all learn
something.