[Perseverando]

I’m wondering why didn’t the pilot turn back toward the mountain and land uphill?

Also, from my Marine Corps days many many years ago, if he could have pulled himself up enough to get one arm over the bar up to the armpit he could have hung on a good bit longer, but probably fairly painfully.

[Bulwyf]

Turning around to land up hill would of killed them both.

I used to fly gliders, have a lot of hours. One of the most important things you do before you take off is a hang check. Someone holds your glider level as if you’re in flight and you make sure you’re all connected and hanging correctly. I don’t get how this happens.

[pepsi_junkie]

One of three possible answers I can think of.

1. Other hang gliders would be taking off behind him and if he circled back he'd risk a collision.
2. He couldn't control the glider well enough to turn back
3. Some onerous Swiss regulation against landing in the takeoff area would have caused him a fine so large as to lose his home and all his possessions so he figured a manslaughter charge was a better option.

You decide which seems most likely.