Ka 8 collides with free-fall parachutist over DZ; cone of operation misunderstood

A Ka 8 pilot and a free-fall parachutist were fatally injured in a mid-air at ~850 m over Hinton-in-the-Hedges; glider destroyed. The skydiving centre's cone of operation was 140°-230° M but the gliding-club duty instructor understood 160°-220°; a 10° track change was not relayed. The DZ controller twice told the glider to leave and tried to cancel the drop; the drop crew didn't hear the cancel and the glider didn't respond. One of three free-fall parachutists struck the Ka 8's left wing, which broke outboard of the airbrake. The parachutist died at collision; the glider impacted nose-first, killing the pilot. No parachute was worn.

1. Aerotow + local soaring east of field: 69y Silver C pilot aerotowed at 13:50 from Hinton; released ~600 m and seen at 600-750 m east of the field at 13:55.
2. Cone of operation: 140-230 vs 160-220: The skydiving centre's cone that day was 140°-230° M, but the duty instructor understood it as 160°-220°; each organisation believed the 20° margin was the other's responsibility.
3. Drop track change 190°→180° not relayed: Drop aircraft's final track was changed from 190° to 180° M after the first runs; the change was not passed to the gliding club DI.
4. No parachute worn: The pilot chose not to wear a parachute; BGA recommends but does not mandate it for general flight.
5. Glider in disputed band during live drop: As Turbolet 410 ran in for a live drop from ~3700 m, the Ka 8 was within the 140°-160° band — inside the centre's cone but outside the club's cone — in the parachutists' descent area.
6. DZ controller warnings unheard: DZ controller saw the glider and broadcast twice on 119.45 MHz for it to leave, then attempted to cancel the drop; Turbolet crew did not hear the cancel and the glider did not respond.
7. Free-fall parachutist strikes left wing: Three parachutists exited and separated at ~1200 m for canopy deployment; one collided with the Ka 8's left wing at ~850 m, the outboard ~5 m of wing separating.
8. Both fatal; glider destroyed: The Ka 8, its wing structurally failed, hit nose-first ~80 m south of the perimeter track; the pilot died on impact. The parachutist died at the collision, before his reserve deployed.