What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 4, 2009, about 1930 eastern daylight time (EDT), an unregistered experimental two place powered parachute impacted trees just beyond a pasture on a private cattle ranch located in Athens, Georgia. There is no record of the pilot being a certificated airman. The accident occurred during the takeoff phase of flight in visual meteorological conditions. Temperature was 89° f with 46% humidity and calm wind. The passenger reported that two previous attempts to takeoff in the pasture had failed during takeoff roll due to the parachute "falling over". The pilot then decided to take off in a direction perpendicular to the previous two attempts. The passenger and another witness had stated this direction had been used several times in the past and that typically when they reach the end of the pasture where the tree line begins the aircraft is 50-60 ft above the trees. However on this attempt the aircraft was approximately halfway across the pasture before it began to lift off the ground. When it reached the tree line witness report the aircraft "grazed the top of the trees". It was at this time that the parachute collapsed and the aircraft began a near vertical descent to the ground. The witness estimated the height to be 45 feet above the ground when they lost lift and started the descent. This would be consistent with the observed height of the trees. The impact area was approximately 20 yards from the edge of the pasture in a wooded area. Estimating the flight path by broken limbs indicated a nearly vertical path to the ground from the top of the trees. The pilot suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and internal bleeding. The passenger suffered a broken bone in the base of the neck and injuries to his back.a check of the wreckage indicated fuel was present and throttle control continuity existed. The passenger stated he didn't notice any problems with the aircraft engine making power.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 4, 2009, ABOUT 1930 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), AN UNREGISTERED EXPERIMENTAL TWO PLACE POWERED PARACHUTE IMPACTED TREES JUST BEYOND A PASTURE ON A PRIVATE CATTLE RANCH LOCATED IN ATHENS, GEORGIA. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT BEING A CERTIFICATED AIRMAN. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF FLIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURE WAS 89° F WITH 46% HUMIDITY AND CALM WIND.THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT TWO PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO TAKEOFF IN THE PASTURE HAD FAILED DURING TAKEOFF ROLL DUE TO THE PARACHUTE "FALLING OVER". THE PILOT THEN DECIDED TO TAKE OFF IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE PREVIOUS TWO ATTEMPTS. THE PASSENGER AND ANOTHER WITNESS HAD STATED THIS DIRECTION HAD BEEN USED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST AND THAT TYPICALLY WHEN THEY REACH THE END OF THE PASTURE WHERE THE TREE LINE BEGINS THE AIRCRAFT IS 50-60 FT ABOVE THE TREES. HOWEVER ON THIS ATTEMPT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY ACROSS THE PASTURE BEFORE IT BEGAN TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND. WHEN IT REACHED THE TREE LINE WITNESS REPORT THE AIRCRAFT "GRAZED THE TOP OF THE TREES". IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE PARACHUTE COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT TO THE GROUND. THE WITNESS ESTIMATED THE HEIGHT TO BE 45 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN THEY LOST LIFT AND STARTED THE DESCENT. THIS WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE OBSERVED HEIGHT OF THE TREES. THE IMPACT AREA WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS FROM THE EDGE OF THE PASTURE IN A WOODED AREA. ESTIMATING THE FLIGHT PATH BY BROKEN LIMBS INDICATED A NEARLY VERTICAL PATH TO THE GROUND FROM THE TOP OF THE TREES.THE PILOT SUFFERED BROKEN RIBS, A PUNCTURED LUNG AND INTERNAL BLEEDING. THE PASSENGER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE IN THE BASE OF THE NECK AND INJURIES TO HIS BACK.A CHECK OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED FUEL WAS PRESENT AND THROTTLE CONTROL CONTINUITY EXISTED. THE PASSENGER STATED HE DIDN'T NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE MAKING POWER.