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20120401006979A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Powrachute AIRWOLF 912ULS · Plant City, FL · April 1, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 1, 2012 · 07:30 local
Place
Plant City, FL
Airport
Blackwater Creek Flightpark
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N415BA
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA12LA264
Reported as
Powrachute Airwolf 912ULS
Reported engine
ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Flight instructor, sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
559 total314 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days
N415BARegistered now · Powrachute AIRWOLF 912ULSS/N A134ULS · Built 2010Airframe modelPowrachute AIRWOLF 912ULSEngine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On April 1, 2012, at 0730 EDT, a powered parachute model airwolf 912ULS, N415BA, serial no. A134ULS, registered to Powrachute LLC., and operated by sport pilot (CFI), privacy data omitted, clipped some tree tops during takeoff climb and crashed into the woods at Blackwater Creek Flightpark, 9DF2. The pilot sustained minor facial lacerations. The passenger was taken to the hospital after complaining of difficulty in breathing, back and shoulder pain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported taxing the powered parachute at an angle to the grassy airstrip, getting airborne, but not having directional control of the parachute. The powered parachute flew directly into the tree line which runs parallel to the grassy airstrip. The unit hit the top of the trees striking the propeller assembly and causing the engine to seize. The powered parachute got stuck on top of the trees momentarily before falling to the ground. The powered parachute sustained substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 1, 2012, AT 0730 EDT, A POWERED PARACHUTE MODEL AIRWOLF 912ULS, N415BA, SERIAL NO. A134ULS, REGISTERED TO POWRACHUTE LLC., AND OPERATED BY SPORT PILOT (CFI), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CLIPPED SOME TREE TOPS DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB AND CRASHED INTO THE WOODS AT BLACKWATER CREEK FLIGHTPARK, 9DF2. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR FACIAL LACERATIONS. THE PASSENGER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER COMPLAINING OF DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING, BACK AND SHOULDER PAIN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED TAXING THE POWERED PARACHUTE AT AN ANGLE TO THE GRASSY AIRSTRIP, GETTING AIRBORNE, BUT NOT HAVING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE PARACHUTE. THE POWERED PARACHUTE FLEW DIRECTLY INTO THE TREE LINE WHICH RUNS PARALLEL TO THE GRASSY AIRSTRIP. THE UNIT HIT THE TOP OF THE TREES STRIKING THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THE POWERED PARACHUTE GOT STUCK ON TOP OF THE TREES MOMENTARILY BEFORE FALLING TO THE GROUND. THE POWERED PARACHUTE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA12LA264Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPlant City, FLThe flight instructor’s failure to ensure an obstruction-free takeoff path prior to initiating the takeoff and his inadequate preflight inspection of the powered parachute’s flight controls, which resulted in a collision with trees during the takeoff.Apr 1, 2012 · Minor damage