Man falls to death from paraglider, teen daughter survives

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Authorities say a California man fell 1,000 feet to his death in a paragliding accident while his teenage daughter, who was flying in tandem with him, survived.

A Santa Barbara County sheriff’s statement Monday says veterinarian Ronald Faoro, 60, died after witnesses say Faoro fell from about 1,000 feet and landed in a steep canyon area. Rescue teams found him and declared him dead.

His 16-year-old daughter continued on the paraglider for another quarter-mile and crashed into a ridge. She was spotted and lifted out by helicopter but had only minor injuries.

The coroner’s office is investigating the accident to determine how it happened.

Paragliding resembles a combination of hang-gliding and skydiving, where a pilot launches on foot and sits below a fabric wing that catches the wind.

This story was originally published March 3, 2015 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Man falls to death from paraglider, teen daughter survives."