A 43-year-old Croatian native was transported by helicopter to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center following a mishap in a practice flight Saturday morning just prior to the start of the U.S. National Paragliding Championships on Bald Mountain.
Tin Ilakovac, of Long Beach, Calif., was released from the hospital later Saturday. Event organizer Chuck Smith said Ilakovac suffered a compressed vertebra.
Ilakovac crashed onto the Seattle Ridge ski run at about 11:30 a.m. after launching two miles to the north, from near Lookout Restaurant.
"It looks like his main sail failed. He activated his backup chute and plummeted to the ground," said Sgt. Jay Davis, a spokesman for the Blaine County Sheriff's Office. Davis said Ilakovac was apparently too close to the ground to avoid injury when he activated his backup parachute.
Smith, the owner and operator of Fly Sun Valley, a Ketchum paragliding business, said the accident likely resulted from "pilot error."
Ketchum Fire Chief Mike Elle said the injured pilot, with "possible back and neck injuries," was transported to the hospital by emergency helicopter shortly after 12:30 p.m.
Saturday was the official practice day for the national championships, which started Sunday and end Saturday, Sept. 2. Some 100 of the world's top pilots are competing in the event, which is being held for the first time in the Ketchum-Sun Valley area.
With the exception of Ilakovac's injury, Smith said the event is going well.
"We had a highly successful day, with some of the best flights some of these people have ever made," he said.
