Helicopter Crew Rescues Paraglider From Coastal Cliff Near Mussel Rock
A California Highway Patrol helicopter crew rescued an injured paraglider from a Daly City cliff on August 19, 2026, after a crash left him stranded hundreds of feet below the top. The operation brought together aircrew, firefighters and ambulance personnel along the coast near Mussel Rock.
North County Fire Authority recorded the response at 4:11 p.m., below 50 Northridge Drive. Three fire companies, a rescue unit, a chief officer and a CHP helicopter responded. Firefighters found an adult man who had collided with the cliff and remained stranded on its face.
CHP’s Golden Gate Division Air Operations identified the aircraft as H-30 and the location as Avalon Canyon. In its public account, the agency said the crew worked with a helicopter rescue technician from Daly City firefighters to extract the injured pilot.
SFGate’s August 21 report described video showing the technician being lowered to the paraglider, followed by both being hoisted toward the helicopter. That coverage appeared two days after the rescue; the incident itself occurred on August 19.
The extraction was one stage of a coordinated response. CHP said the patient was delivered to an American Medical Response ambulance and transported to a local trauma center. Its account also acknowledged Daly City and Pacifica firefighters and AMR’s San Mateo County personnel.
According to North County Fire Authority, firefighter-paramedics provided initial treatment before ambulance transport. The pilot’s injuries were described as moderate, and no emergency personnel were injured. The authority said the incident was resolved in approximately an hour and a half.
For paragliding pilots, the location adds relevant context without establishing what caused this crash. Airtime of San Francisco’s Mussel Rock site guide describes a complex coastal flying area where wind direction, wind strength and fog can vary with location and height. It emphasizes local site knowledge and an introduction from an experienced local pilot or instructor.
Those general characteristics should not be treated as an explanation for the August accident. The agency statements reviewed do not identify a cause, and the available reporting does not establish whether weather, equipment or another factor contributed.
The confirmed outcome is that rescuers removed the pilot from the cliff and transferred him to medical care. His subsequent condition has not been verified for this report.
