An investigation into the paragliding accident that killed Austrian extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner in July has concluded that human error, not a technical fault, was to blame.
Baumgartner, best known for becoming the first human to break the sound barrier in freefall in 2012, died on July 17 along Italy's Adriatic coast. Witnesses reported that his motorised paraglider appeared to fly normally before it began spinning and crashed near a beachside resort swimming pool.
Prosecutor Raffaele Iannella stated that the inquiry found no mechanical issues with the aircraft. He explained: 'He fell into a spiral, and he could not get out. He was unable to do the manoeuvre that he should have done to exit from the fall.'
The findings were first reported by German news agency dpa. The prosecutor will now request that the case be closed, a decision that requires a judge's approval.
Baumgartner, known as 'Fearless Felix', gained global fame in 2012 when he jumped from a capsule 24 miles above New Mexico, reaching a speed of 843.6 mph (1.25 times the speed of sound). During that descent, he also experienced a dangerous flat spin but managed to recover.
