The Coroners Court in Wellington heard Andrew Mark Cairns, known to friends as Mark, should never have been flying above 15 feet, and was trying several flying techniques for the first time when he died in March 2011.
The inquest confirmed Mr Cairns was drinking on the day of his death. He was found after the accident with alcohol levels similar to the legal adult drink-drive limit.
The court also heard Mr Cairns' hang-gliding associate David Dorne took three hours to call police after losing sight of Mr Cairns.
Mr Dorne said he panicked, had no cellphone, but did raise the alarm by contacting Mr Cairns' friend, the experienced hang-glider Ross Gray.
Mr Dorne said he believed Mr Cairns died after attempting a risky "top landing" on a hill notorious for its unpredictable winds, despite advice not to.
The court heard Mr Cairns earlier took possession of a Kea hang-glider from Mr Gray in bizarre circumstances, tying the glider to his car roof while Mr Gray was on the toilet.
The glider did not have the hang-gliding equivalent of a warrant of fitness. Mr Gray and Mr Dorne both described Mr Cairns as an assertive character who often did as he pleased, regardless of advice others gave him.
"I specifically told Mark, in no uncertain terms, he wasn't to fly the glider until it was re-inspected," Mr Gray said.
Dr Kim Worthington, the partner of Mr Cairns, said there was "a whole culture, it seems, of just disregarding regulations" in the hang-gliding community.
She said Mr Cairns sat various safety tests in the home of his instructor, Mr Gray, and allegedly asked him questions while filling out answers.
Mr Gray denied giving Mr Cairns answers but admitted his organisation, the Manawatu Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, had changed its testing regimen since Mr Cairns' death.
By John Weekes of APNZ
