Photo credit: Facebook: David Wolfe paragliding in the last sessionhit the flank of Fly Mesa and died on 3 July.

by John Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

Fly Mesa – A paraglider died on July 3 in a fatal accident along the flank of Fly Mesa in the Pinareño Mountains.

David Ronald Wolf of Tonasket, Wash., was pronounced dead at the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center after being rescued from the Fly Mesa area.

Fly Mesa is part of the Coronado National Forest, and about 16 miles southeast of Thatcher, off W. Fly Mesa Road, is the Fly Mesa Reservoir. The area is used for camping, hiking and fishing and is part of the Safford Ranger precinct.

Wolfe’s son-in-law was filming a paragliding session when the accident happened. The man rushed to Mr Wolfe’s side and took care of him while he waited for an ambulance.

Graham County legislators were dispatched around 4:36 p.m. and were the first to arrive. Officers walked approximately 100 to 150 yards to the victim and assisted until further help arrived.

Wolf suffered severe injuries, including a broken leg and arm, a lacerated eye, and a large dent in his helmet.

During the rescue, he fainted and passed out, but the agents helped him to a more comfortable position while waiting for medical professionals.

The Graham County Search and Rescue Team arrived and put Wolfe on the backboard. They then put him in a cage and drove him down the mesa to load the helicopter.

While being attended to, Mr. Wolfe told a representative he was from Washington and was visiting family in the area. He said he had previously taken a class to learn how to paraglide and successfully completed the jumps before the day’s challenge.

Because the air emergency helicopter was unable to land in the landing zone due to a power outage, Lifeline Ambulance paramedics took Mr. Wolfe to MGRMC in a ground ambulance, where he was pronounced dead at 8:28pm.