KITTY HAWK, N.C. — A paraglider that launched from the Wright Brothers National Memorial's First Flight Airport crashed landed into some trees Tuesday evening.
The crash happened around 5 p.m. in some tall pine trees along Colington Avenue.
The pilot, from Kitty Hawk N.C., tried to land on the airstrip at Wright Brothers, but he reported that turbulence caused him to land in the trees. The parachute - part of the paragliding equipment - caught the trees and left him suspended approximately 70 feet off the ground.
Kill Devil Hills Police, Kill Devil Hills Fire Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Dare County Sheriff officers, 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 only had minor scrapes from the incident, and he didn't seek medical care at the scene of the incident.
The paraglider equipment was damaged and the parachute remains stuck in the trees. Wright Brothers National Memorial staff will contact the pilot to coordinate the removal of the parachute.
