This is a list of notable accidents in ski flying with confirmed video footage.
| Date | Location | Event | Athlete(s) involved | Description | Aftermath | Ref. |
|---|
| 7 Mar 1970}} | {{flagicon|FRG}} Oberstdorf}} | International Ski Flying Week}} | {{flagicon|YUG}} Vinko Bogataj}} | Lost balance while descending the inrun, causing him to tumble wildly off the side directly in front of a group of spectators. No head protection was worn during this era. | Concussion and broken ankle for Bogataj, who continued his career for a short while longer. Likely the most famous ski flying accident in history, being broadcast to American audiences on ABC's Wide World of Sports. The international exposure gave Bogataj the unfortunate moniker, "The Agony of Defeat". | [1] |
| 28/29 Mar 1980}} | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|TCH}} Harrachov}} | Ski Jumping World Cup}} | {{flagicon|TCH}} Pavel Ploc}} | 9|m|ft|abbr=on}} onto the slope. | Recovered and later set a world record at the same venue in 1983. | [2] |
| 1 Jan 1983}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|CAN}} Horst Bulau}}
{{nowrap|{{flagicon|NOR}} Steinar Bråten}}
{{nowrap|{{flagicon|GDR}} Jens Weißflog}} | 115.2|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Concussion for Bulau, who nonetheless finished second in that season's World Cup standings. Bråten recovered well enough to score his lone career win later in the season. Weißflog would go on to become one of the all-time greats in ski jumping. | [3][4]
[5] |
| 23 Feb 1985}} | Ski Jumping World Cup}} | {{flagicon|TCH}} Pavel Ploc}} | Crashed and somersaulted violently down the hill. | Escaped without major injury. Was able to claim bronze in the 1985 Ski Flying World Championships in Planica, less than a month later. | [6] |
| 15 Mar 1985}} | {{flagicon|YUG}} Planica}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|USA}} Mark Konopacke}} | 3|m|ft|abbr=on}} | [7] |
| 9 Mar 1986}} | {{flagicon|AUT}} Kulm}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|JPN}} Masahiro Akimoto}}
{{nowrap|{{flagicon|GDR}} Ulf Findeisen}}
{{nowrap|{{flagicon|NOR}} Rolf Åge Berg}} | All three suffered brutal crashes, falling from a height of 9 m due to dangerous wind conditions. | Fractured ankle, chest and shoulder injuries for Akimoto. Cardiac arrest for Findeisen, who survived and continued a relatively successful career. Concussion and a broken cruciate ligament for Berg, whose injuries were career-ending. | [8][9]
[10] |
| {{nowrap|14/15 Mar 1987}} | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|YUG}} Planica}} | {{nowrap|Ski Jumping World Cup}} | {{flagicon|NOR}} Robert Selbekk-Hansen}} | Crashed face-first from a height of 9 m after clearing the knoll. | Went on to become a sports trainer. | [11] |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Frédéric Berger}} | Fell from a height of 9 m after clearing the knoll, landing on his back. Having slid all the way down the hill, one of his skis (which had come loose and flown up high into the air) came down hard and hit him in the back. | Continued his career until 1988. | [12] |
| {{nowrap|22 Mar 1992}} | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|TCH}} Harrachov}} | {{nowrap|Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|AUT}} Andreas Goldberger}} | 107.4|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Broken arm and collarbone. Finished second in the event standings (the second day of which was cancelled) and enjoyed much success in a lengthy career. | [13] |
| {{flagicon|TCH}} František Jež}} | 106.7|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Able to walk away with some help. | [14] |
| 20 Mar 1994}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Planica}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|JPN}} Jinya Nishikata}} | 101.4|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Stretchered away and continued his career until 2001. | [15] |
| 23 Mar 1997}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Planica}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|RUS}} Arthur Khamidulin}} | 100.3|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Stretchered away and continued his career until a second crash in Vikersund, in 2000. | [16] |
| 28 Feb 1998}} | {{flagicon|NOR}} Vikersund}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|NOR}} Tommy Egeberg}} | Crashed at the top of the hill. Aged just 16, this was his first time at attempting ski flying. | Event was cancelled. Egeberg hospitalised overnight with a broken nose and light concussion, but continued his career until 2006. | [17] |
| 18 Mar 1999}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Planica}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|RUS}} Valery Kobelev}} | 104.7|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Induced coma for several months. Recovered well enough to continue his career until 2006. | [11] |
| 14 Feb 2000}} | {{flagicon|NOR}} Vikersund}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|RUS}} Arthur Khamidulin}} | Crashed near the knoll and was knocked out, losing his helmet and sliding down unconscious the rest of the way. | Concussion. Never competed in the sport again. | [18] |
| 19 Mar 2000 | {{flagicon|SLO}} Planica | Ski Flying World Cup | JPN}} Takanobu Okabe | 100|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Concussion and bruising. Returned in the following season and continued in the sport for almost another decade with some success. | [19] |
| 16 Mar 2001}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Robert Kranjec}} | Crashed near the top of the hill, somersaulting violently down the slope. | Returned in the following season to continue a successful career and remains active as of 2016. | [20] |
| 22 Mar 2002}} | Ski Jumping World Cup}} | {{flagicon|POL}} Tomasz Pochwała}} | 105.1|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Returned in the following season. Later switched to Nordic combined. | [21] |
| 10 Jan 2014}} | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|AUT}} Kulm}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|AUT}} Thomas Morgenstern}} | 6|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Inrun speed was {{convert|100.4|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. | Recovered well enough win a silver medal with the Austrian national team in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but retired at the end of the season. | [22] |
| 13 Jan 2016}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|AUT}} Lukas Müller}} | Crashed during a training round prior to the event in heavy snow and fog, landing on his back after losing control in mid-air. | Hospitalised with career-ending spinal injuries. | [23] |
| Date | Location | Event | Athlete(s) involved | Description | Aftermath | Ref. |
|---|
| 1 Jan 1973}} | {{flagicon|FRG}} Oberstdorf}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|SUI}} Walter Steiner}} | 175|m|ft|abbr=on}} and {{convert|179|m|ft|abbr=on}}, on separate jumps. | Concussion and a fractured rib. Finished second in the event. | [24][25] |
| 16/17 Mar 1974}} | {{flagicon|YUG}} Planica}} | International Ski Flying Week}} | 177|m|ft|abbr=on}}. | Walked away with facial cuts. Won the event with a world record set prior to the crash. |
| 20 Mar 2005}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Planica}} | Ski Jumping World Cup}} | {{flagicon|FIN}} Janne Ahonen}} | 240|m|ft|abbr=on}}, landing hard on his back and head. | Stretchered away with minor injuries. Was able to attend a podium ceremony later in the event for winning the World Cup. | [26] |
| 30 Jan 2010}} | {{flagicon|GER}} Oberstdorf}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Robert Kranjec}} | 226|m|ft|abbr=on}}. | Walked away unhurt. | [27] |
| 25 Feb 2012}} | {{flagicon|NOR}} Vikersund}} | Ski Flying World Championships}} | {{flagicon|AUT}} Martin Koch}} | 243.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Walked away unhurt. Received bronze medal for finishing third. | [28] |
| 2 Feb 2013}} | {{flagicon|CZE}} Harrachov}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Jurij Tepeš}} | 220|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Walked away unhurt. His jump remains the unofficial hill record as of 2013. | [29] |
| 15 Feb 2015}} | {{flagicon|NOR}} Vikersund}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|RUS}} Dmitry Vassiliev}} | 254|m|ft|abbr=on}}, landing hard on his back and head. | Able to walk away and compete the next day. His jump remains unofficially the longest made in the sport as of 2015. | [30] |
| 16 Mar 2016}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Planica}} | Ski Flying World Cup}} | {{flagicon|SLO}} Tilen Bartol}} | 252|m|ft|abbr=on}} and almost broke his neck. | Able to walk away and compete the next day. His jump remains the unofficial hill record as of 2017. | [31] |
1. ^Hruby, Patrick (29 April 2011). "'Wide World of Sports' crash hits home". ESPN. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
2. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLX88g4OkXg "Pavel Ploc - Harrachov 1980"] on YouTube. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
3. ^West, Don (late 1999). [https://web.archive.org/web/20150627062200/http://www.skijumpeast.com/wldrecjp.htm "Pictures, and a chat with Mike Holland about his World Record Ski Jump"]. skijumpeast.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
4. ^Cleary, Martin (29 March 1983). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19830329&id=6a4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9u4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3836,4251078&hl=en "Jumper Bulau already pointing to winning crown next season"] at Google News Archive. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
5. ^"25 år siden skandalerennet" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
6. ^"Pavel Ploc a Malevil Cup" (in Czech). harrachov.cz. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
7. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYZUXir2MiA#t=0h1m59s "World Ski Jumping Record - Mike Holland, Planica"] on YouTube. Event occurs at time 1:59–2:29. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
8. ^Hoff, Jørgen B. et al. (10 January 2014). "Morgenstern til sykehus etter grusomt fall i Kulm" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Schibsted. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
9. ^"Nordmann falt i samme bakke som Morgenstern" (in Norwegian). Adresseavisen. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
10. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFs7jVgUeDo "Ski Flying (and crashing) - Ski Jumping at its best (and most dangerous)"] on YouTube. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
11. ^1 Elster, Kristian (23 January 2008). "Scheies verste fall i hoppsporten" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
12. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwulVwBwme4 "Ski jumping, Frederic Berger crash in Planica, hit by ski"] on YouTube. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
13. ^Köckeis, Christoph (14 March 2014). "Andreas Goldberger im Interview: "Scheiße, was ist los mit der Welt"" (in German). spox.com. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
14. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrhDSzQbcgU "Frantisek Jez - Crash - Harrachov 1992"] on YouTube. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
15. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laXXmIcGV7c "Jinya Nishikata crash - Planica 1994"] on YouTube. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
16. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrJCm_hafYs "Arthur Khamidullin - crash - Planica 1997"] on YouTube. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
17. ^Andresen, Gorm S.; Rasmussen, John (7 December 2006). "Her lander Tommy på nesa i Vikersund-bakken" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Aller Media. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
18. ^Lønning, Simen (23 February 2013). "Hoppsportens styggeste fall". Nettavisen. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
19. ^"Goldbergers Rekord von Okabes Sturz überschattet" (in German). Rheinische Post. 18 March 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
20. ^Lopatič, Jaka (14 January 2014). "Kranjec po grozljivem padcu v Planici gladovno stavkal" (in Slovene). Siol. Telekom Slovenije. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
21. ^"Sport Skijumping". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
22. ^Hope, Nick (9 February 2014). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/26107688 "Sochi 2014: Thomas Morgenstern on his 'horror crash'"]. BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
23. ^Associated Press (13 January 2016). "Ski jumper Mueller has surgery after test ski flying crash". Daily Mail. DMG Media. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
24. ^The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner. 1974.
25. ^Kunzru, Hari (16 April 2011). [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/apr/16/werner-herzog-films-hari-kunzru "Werner Herzog, the adventurous spirit"]. The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
26. ^Johannessen, Bjørn Arne (3 August 2009). "Hoppet 240 meter i bakrus" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
27. ^[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWe6yb8lUbU "Robert Kranjec Oberstdorf 2010 226m - Fall ORF"] on YouTube. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
28. ^"Martin Koch". Getty Images. Carlyle Group. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
29. ^[https://web.archive.org/web/20150529002431/http://www.fischersports.com/en/Nordic/News/1213-Season/02/480/Gregor-Schlierenzauer-claims-two-victories-within-six-hours "Gregor Schlierenzauer claims two victories within six hours"]. Fischer. 3 February 2013. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
30. ^"A. Fannemel: "It's an incredible feeling"". FIS. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
31. ^Brakstad, Thomas; Schmidt, Stig Øystein (16 March 2016). [https://www.nrk.no/sport/tilen-bartol-med-monsterhopp-pa-252-meter-1.12857378 "18-åring slo verdensrekorden i Planica – men falt"] (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 8 March 2018.