In the 90s I did hang gliding with the Capital club in DC. We would typically fly from one of several ridges in the mountains of VIrginia. One day I launched, and I was not clearing the trees. Somebody yelled from launch area ‘PULL IN’. I did so and flew up and over the trees for a good flight. I flew for 10 years with one tree landing. Most pilots in the club had a tree landing at some point in their career. We were taught when confronted with a tree landing to fly into the tree and not try to clear it. A pilot could die if they clipped the top of the tree causing the nose to point down at the ground.
