A report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit into the death of a paraglider in Co Meath last June has found the performance of steep turns at a low height was a factor in the crash.
Michael Walsh, 45, died after getting into difficulty and crashing on Gormanston Beach.
He was using a powered paraglider and had taken off from Gormanston Beach on the evening of 4 June 2016.
Witnesses say they saw the aircraft climbing to a height of around 150 feet.
The aircraft had been performing very steep turns and one witness observed the aircraft spiralling towards the water.
The witness said he assumed the pilot "was performing some sort of trick or stunt" but as he "spiralled and as he descended down, the spirals got wider and wider".
Another witness said as soon as the paraglider hit the water, he and a number of other people ran to the scene where they joined others in assisting the recovery of the pilot to shore.
The report found the performance of steep manoeuvres at a low height was a factor in the crash. It said that the pilot had insufficient height to recover once high descent had developed.
It also said Mr Walsh may have been disorientated as a result and found that the paramotor flying weight was in excess of the placarded maximum flying weight.
He had taken up paragliding in 1997 and according to the report was regarded by peers as an experienced paraglider pilot.
He had bought the paramotor around one year before the accident and amassed around 25 flying hours.
The report said Mr Walsh had undergone SIV/Stability Training using the accident wing, but without the additional weight of the motor and associated equipment.
It found he may not have been familiar with the altered flight characteristics of the wing when flying with the additional weight.
It has recommended that the Irish Aviation Authority and the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association consider issuing a notice to highlight the importance of operating all equipment within the limitations laid down by the manufacturer.
