The 53-year-old paraglider died when he encountered turbulence and fell to his death at the Peak District beauty spot

A skilled paraglider died after hitting turbulence while flying 350 feet in the air over the Peak District.

Timothy Ogden, 53, got into an “unrecoverable spin” and began to free fall at 200 feet when his slide “collapsed” during a sudden change in wind direction over Windy Knoll near Castleton, Derbyshire.

Chesterfield Coroner’s court heard that he died of chest injuries at the scene of the crime on August 14 last year within minutes of the high-speed impact.

The retired NHS IT manager got into trouble at the end of an early evening routine flight over Mam Tor. After he hit the ground, eyewitnesses ran to his aid and began CPR before emergency services arrived on site.

A coroner said the tragedy appeared to be based on “a split second of decision-making that had dire consequences”.

The investigation was informed that Mr. Ogden, who lived in Sheffield, South Yorks, had more than 300 hours of pilot experience and trained other flyers at the Derbyshire Soaring Club.

53-year-old paraglider pilot Tim Ogden (pictured) died after his slide collapsed when he landed at a beauty spot in the Peak District

Minutes before the tragedy, he and two other Treak Cliff pilots took off from the summit of Mam Tor – known locally as “Shivering Mountain” – after completing pre-flight checks.

One of the men, Guy Richardson, told investigators that after a normal takeoff at the site popular with paragliders, winds rose to about 30 mph when it rose to 2,000 feet.

In a statement read in court, he described the conditions as “at the top of a comfortable flight”.

As the wind speeds increased, he decided to land in the field at Windy Knoll, but the turbulent air partially collapsed his slide.

After making adjustments, he regained control and landed safely.

Then he radioed the two men who were still in the sky to warn them of landing in the field.

Andrew Tillsley confirmed the news and went elsewhere, but there was no reply from Mr Ogden. It was later determined that he did not carry his radio on the fateful flight.

When Mr. Ogden reached speeds of 40 miles per hour at 350 feet, he turned into the wind and prepared to land. Suddenly both sides of his parachute began to collapse and wrap around him as he was thrown into an uncontrollable spin.

The experienced aviator (picture) encountered turbulence as he approached the landing site in Windy Knoll on Mam Tor

Mr. Richardson said, “I looked up and saw him spin about 200 feet from the ground. I shouted “Reserve! Reserve! Reserve!” ‘

For a few moments, Mr. Ogden struggled to regain control before deploying his reserve parachute, but by this point he was too close to the ground and there was no time to properly inflate.

‘He used it, but by then he was at top speed and it was too late. He landed about twenty feet from me, ”added Richardson.

The paraglider landed on his back and suffered severe injuries to his chest and spine. Despite the efforts of passers-by and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m.

Mr. Ogden has been described as an avid athlete who loved skiing and diving and who had started paragliding about seven years before his death. After his early retirement, he often traveled to the Alps to pursue his hobby.

After hearing the evidence, Derbyshire Assistant Coroner Matthew Kewley described Mr. Ogden as “an all round good guy” who was popular with those who knew him.

He said the main factor behind the tragedy was his decision to end up in Windy Knoll.

But he added, “I want to emphasize that Tim was an experienced, competent and safe pilot who died doing something he loved very much.”

Recording a Conclusion on Accidental Death Mr. Kewley said the Flyer knew the area well and “uses equipment that is suitable for the flight and is airworthy.”

The collapse of its slide was caused “by the turbulent air” around Windy Knoll.

“All the evidence suggests this is a tragic accident,” he added.

Kath Evans paid tribute to her brother, describing him as the “family rock” with a “mischievous sense of humor”.

He was her father’s full-time caregiver before he passed away in July last year after a long battle with dementia.

“Tim died doing something he loved,” she said. “Since his death we have received so many wonderful comments from his friends in all walks of life and we are proud of him as a son, brother and uncle.”

On a JustGiving page, Richardson paid tribute: “A man from the mountains, cheese, wine and sausage lover, dancer, skier and paraglider pilot. Tim lived in Sheffield, a fond uncle, brother, son, and most importantly, our friend. He had a zest for life and a smile that many could not imagine hiding behind the hair on his face. ‘ [sic]