61-year-old man hurt in powered paraglider crash on Southside

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville business owner was seriously injured Monday morning in a powered paraglider crash on the Southside, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

The crash was reported Monday around 8 a.m. on Business Park Boulevard in the area of I-295 and Philips Highway.

According to the crash report, the 61-year-old man flying the paraglider owns a business near Atlantic Coast High School and took off from a field in the area. News4Jax spoke to the man Tuesday, who said he was in the hospital and in good spirits.

A witness saw the powered glider above the trees, trailing a kite while going about 25 mph. The engine failed, and the kite snagged a tree and the glider came crashing down.

Clayton Englehart, who was working in the area, said it all happened within seconds.

"His motor cut and he let go of his cords, and then that big, wide look on his face. Yeah. He knew he was in trouble," Englehart said. "He fell from probably 100 feet within about five seconds."

According to the report, the man called his wife before he called 911 and was taken to Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The man has a pilot’s license, but one is not needed to fly the glider.


About the Authors:

Veteran journalist and Emmy Award winning anchor

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.