A parapenter had to be rescued after he landed in a tree in Queenstown yesterday.
Ben Letham's jump from the Skyline area of Bob's Peak, in perfect weather conditions, started well enough, but the 21-year-old American private pilot got into difficulties while practising a new manoeuvre at about 9.45am.
He spiralled into a towering pine tree in the Kiwi Birdlife Park.
It was believed he fell about 5m through branches before he came to a halt about 40m from the ground.
Park staff and members of the public notified Queenstown police.
Queenstown aborist Abe Laguna, who rescued another Queenstown-based American paraglider from another tree in April, used spiked boots to reach Mr Letham.
Mr Letham was secured to a safety rope then abseiled to the ground.
"It was just unlucky," Mr Letham said afterwards.
"It went wrong, trying something new."
He was full of praise for his rescuer. "He's a good guy, knows what he's doing."
Parapenting is gliding while harnessed to a fabric wing.