What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N5627G powered parachute accident
Part 91, sport pilot, experimental light sport, powered parachute.
Date of accident: 07/15/2012
Pilot stated a group of friends were having a get together in a field near Wilmore KY. He and a group of other pilots were invited down and intended to give people at the party rides on the powered parachutes. (Not for compensation). Runway was bush-hogged prior to gathering. Runway ran north to south and was approximately 800 feet long with 30 to 40 foot trees located to the south of the runway. The runway had a gradual uphill grade in the direction of take-off. At about 1700HRS that evening, another pilot, went up to check out the conditions and came back and stated it was too bouncy. The group waited about 1.5 hours then decided to go up. Two of the aircraft had taken off and privacy data omitted was third in line to go. He had one he gave her a safety briefing and strapped her in a 4-point harness and snapped her helmet on for her. (Note: in the interview with the passenger , she stated the same thing regarding the pre-flight briefing). He said on take-off, he noticed oscillation in the chute. He stated he gave more power but was not achieving the lift he wanted. He noticed the tree line approaching and aimed for a dip in the tree line and hoped he would clear it. After coming in contact with the trees, the nose of the cart tipped, nose down and he throttled up to try and level the cart. From the point of contact with the trees to this impact site was approximately 60 to 80 ft. the cart leveled and the two occupants hit the ground hard and flat. Once on the ground he assisted the passenger from the seat and encouraged her to move away from the aircraft in case of a fuel leak, then waited on help to arrive. He seemed coherent and honest during the interview. End
Injuries sustained by PIC: 4 fractured vertebrae
2 Broken fingers (one on each hand)
I was able to inspect the aircraft which had been moved to privacy data omitted. The aircraft had damage to the propeller (it had disintegrated upon contact with the tree limbs). The nose gear appeared to be bent, right to left, and the steering bracket/bar (operated by the pilot?s left foot) was broken upon impact
As the FAA filed it
N5627G POWERED PARACHUTE ACCIDENT
PART 91, SPORT PILOT, EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT, POWERED PARACHUTE.
DATE OF ACCIDENT: 07/15/2012
PILOT STATED A GROUP OF FRIENDS WERE HAVING A GET TOGETHER IN A FIELD NEAR WILMORE KY. HE AND A GROUP OF OTHER PILOTS WERE INVITED DOWN AND INTENDED TO GIVE PEOPLE AT THE PARTY RIDES ON THE POWERED PARACHUTES. (NOT FOR COMPENSATION). RUNWAY WAS BUSH-HOGGED PRIOR TO GATHERING. RUNWAY RAN NORTH TO SOUTH AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET LONG WITH 30 TO 40 FOOT TREES LOCATED TO THE SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY HAD A GRADUAL UPHILL GRADE IN THE DIRECTION OF TAKE-OFF. AT ABOUT 1700HRS THAT EVENING, ANOTHER PILOT, WENT UP TO CHECK OUT THE CONDITIONS AND CAME BACK AND STATED IT WAS TOO BOUNCY. THE GROUP WAITED ABOUT 1.5 HOURS THEN DECIDED TO GO UP. TWO OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD TAKEN OFF AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THIRD IN LINE TO GO. HE HAD ONE HE GAVE HER A SAFETY BRIEFING AND STRAPPED HER IN A 4-POINT HARNESS AND SNAPPED HER HELMET ON FOR HER. (NOTE: IN THE INTERVIEW WITH THE PASSENGER , SHE STATED THE SAME THING REGARDING THE PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING). HE SAID ON TAKE-OFF, HE NOTICED OSCILLATION IN THE CHUTE. HE STATED HE GAVE MORE POWER BUT WAS NOT ACHIEVING THE LIFT HE WANTED. HE NOTICED THE TREE LINE APPROACHING AND AIMED FOR A DIP IN THE TREE LINE AND HOPED HE WOULD CLEAR IT. AFTER COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE TREES, THE NOSE OF THE CART TIPPED, NOSE DOWN AND HE THROTTLED UP TO TRY AND LEVEL THE CART. FROM THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE TREES TO THIS IMPACT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 80 FT. THE CART LEVELED AND THE TWO OCCUPANTS HIT THE GROUND HARD AND FLAT. ONCE ON THE GROUND HE ASSISTED THE PASSENGER FROM THE SEAT AND ENCOURAGED HER TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT IN CASE OF A FUEL LEAK, THEN WAITED ON HELP TO ARRIVE. HE SEEMED COHERENT AND HONEST DURING THE INTERVIEW. END
INJURIES SUSTAINED BY PIC: 4 FRACTURED VERTEBRAE
2 BROKEN FINGERS (ONE ON EACH HAND)
I WAS ABLE TO INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT WHICH HAD BEEN MOVED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER (IT HAD DISINTEGRATED UPON CONTACT WITH THE TREE LIMBS). THE NOSE GEAR APPEARED TO BE BENT, RIGHT TO LEFT, AND THE STEERING BRACKET/BAR (OPERATED BY THE PILOT?S LEFT FOOT) WAS BROKEN UPON IMPACT
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.