Matt Wright
Matt Wright died after his glider came down shortly after launching from Brentor Airfield in Devon in December 2016 Youtube

A daring YouTube glider plummeted to his death after deliberately taking off in "challenging" weather seeking an "epic wave", an investigation has found.

Matt Wright, who went by the name Balleka on his channel, amassed over 15,000 subscribers after sharing videos of his thrill-seeking adventures.

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According to an Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report, when he took off from Brentor Airfield in Devon in December 2016 there was "turbulent" winds and gusts of up to 30 knots (35mph).

Wright was a qualified pilot with more than 1,500 hours flight experience. He had attached three cameras to his Schleicher glider: one on the tail, right wing tip and in the cockpit.

His friends told investigators that they had gone to the site despite the conditions with the hopes of experiencing an "epic wave".

"The pilot in this accident was experienced, was current and was known for his interest in seeking out challenging flying conditions," the report detailed. "At this level, gliding is a high-performance sporting activity and the pilot knew of and accepted the degree of hazard to achieve high-performance flight.

"Given the experience of the pilot, the decision to launch seems a reasonable choice."

It is believed that a "winch launch" Mr Wright's craft was hit at around 200ft and 300ft as it turned left, possibly as he attempted to abort his own flight and land.

The Devon and Somerset Gliding Club chairwoman Lisa Humphries paid tribute to Wright after the crash describing him as a "friend to all of us".