Paraglider’s Death Blamed On Equipment

Investigators are looking at apparent equipment failure in the death of a Seattle man killed in a paragliding accident near here, Okanogan County Sheriff Jim Weed said Friday.

As a search was under way, the body of David J. Kruglinski, 49, was found about 11 a.m. Friday by a rancher on horseback on a mountain near Campbell Lake, about four miles east of Twisp, Weed said.

It appeared that the wing material failed, as did a reserve chute that Kruglinski tried to deploy, Weed said.

“It failed to slow him adequately,” the sheriff said. “He hit the ground at tremendous impact.”

Kruglinski and three companions were paragliding Thursday afternoon. During one run, the others landed safely, but Kruglinski was reported missing.