[HerrBlucher]

It undoubtedly had something to do with the severe weather. The flock could have been caught up in cumulonimbus updraft, frozen at altitude then turned into avian hailstones. I know this has happened to some hang glider and paraglider pilots who were foolish enough to fly when the cunims were forming.

[sinanju]

"...Cloud suck is typically associated with an increase in thermal updraft velocity near cloud base. As a parcel of air lifted in a thermal rises, it also cools, and water vapor will eventually condense to form a cloud if the parcel rises above the lifted condensation level. As the water vapor condenses, it releases its latent heat of vaporization, thereby increasing the buoyancy of the parcel.[3] The updraft is amplified by this latent heat release.[1][4] Paraglider pilots have reported being unable to descend in strong cloud suck, even after bringing their canopies into full stall, which would normally result in a rapid vertical descent.[5] Cloud suck is especially dangerous for paraglider pilots, whose maximum speed is less than 30 knots, because the updrafts can exceed their ability to get away.[6] On 14 February 2007 while practicing for a paragliding contest in Australia, Polish-born[7] German team pilot Ewa Wiśnierska-Cieślewicz was sucked into a cumulonimbus cloud, climbing at up to 20 meters per second (4,000 feet per minute)[8] to an altitude of 9,946 meters (32,600 feet).[9] She lost consciousness due to hypoxia, but regained consciousness after 30 minutes to an hour, and landed still covered in ice after a three and a half hour flight.[10] [11] Chinese paraglider pilot He Zhongpin died after he was sucked into the same storm system and struck by lightning at 5900 meters (19,000 feet). Mr. He's body was found the next day 15 km (9 miles) from his last known position prior to entering the cloud.[12] Compared with hang-gliders and paragliders, sailplanes have much higher top speeds (often over 250 km/h), they could easily escape powerful cumulo-nimbus clouds by flying away quickly or by using their powerful air brakes. Furthermore, since lee waves are nowadays used by glider pilots to gain great heights instead of thunderstorms, occurrences of unplanned ascents are rare."

[Arrowhead1952]

It undoubtedly had something to do with the severe weather.

Several years ago, NW Austin had a big hail storm. Lots of dead grackles, but not nearly enough. Doves and other birds got away before the hail hit, bunt the grackles just stayed.

[Eddie01]

It’s called cloud suck and you’re taught to tuck the bar and fly as fast as possible to the perimeter.

In some instances, I’ve heard of hangglider pilots cutting themselves from the hang loops and deploying their parachutes.

All hang glider pilots fly with parachutes (some rocket or pneumatic deploy assisted) and carry hook knives.

Eddie01
Hang 4