# Accident 20171026021269A: Six Chuter West LLC LEGEND XL, Mabton, WA, October 26, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 26, 2017, 09:00 local time
- Place: Mabton, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.1906° N, 119.9419° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.1906&lon=-119.9419&mi=10
- Aircraft: N781SC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N781SC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Six Chuter West LEGEND XL (registry code 060009P, https://openairdocs.org/model/six-chuter-west-legend-xl) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912UL series (registry code 55571, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SIX CHUTER WEST LLC LEGEND XL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 932 total, 87 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA029) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171026021269A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON OCTOBER 26, 2017, AT 0900 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A 2016 SIX CHUTER WEST LLC. LEGEND XL, REGISTRATION NUMBER N781SC, IMPACTED TERRAIN FOLLOWING CONTACT WITH A POWER LINE DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT FLYING WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, INSTRUCTOR PILOT NOT INJURED, AND THE POWERED PARACHUTE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE POWERED PARACHUTE WAS REGISTERED TO THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S BUSINESS, SKYSTRIDERS LIGHT SPORT AVIATION LLC. AND HAD DEPARTED THE PROSSER, WA AIRPORT (S40) AT APPROXIMATELY 0815.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

THE METAR RECORDED AT 1555Z FROM SUNNYSIDE AIRPORT (K1S5), WHICH IS 8 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WAS WIND CALM, 10 STATUE MILES VISIBILITY, CLEAR SKY, TEMPERATURE 8C, DEW POINT 6C, AND ALTIMETER SETTING 30.29 INCHES OF MERCURY.

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO COMPLETE A FLIGHT REVIEW FOR THE FRONT SEAT PILOT WHO WAS CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE FRONT SEAT PILOT REPORTED 120 HOURS OF EXPEREINCE IN POWERED PARACHUTES AND COMPLETED HIS PREVIOUS FLIGHT REVIEW ON JUNE 22, 2015.

BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE FRONT SEAT PILOT PROVIDED A WRITTEN STATEMENT DESCRIBING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.  THE FIRST 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, WHICH INCLUDED GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS, WAS UNEVENTFUL.  FOLLOWING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A CROP CIRCLE, THE INSTRUCTOR ASKED THE FRONT SEAT PILOT TO DROP TO A LOWER ALTITUDE, ONE WHICH HE WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, AS IF THEY WERE APPROACHING THE FIELD FOR A LANDING.  THE DESCENT BEGAN FROM 400-500 FEET AND ENDED APPROXIMATELY 10-40 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AS THEY CAME OVER THE FIELD.  THERE THEY BEGAN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE TURN AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE CROP CIRCLE.

THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THE LAST PART OF THE DESCENT, OVER THE CROP CIRCLE, BECAME STEEPER TO A POINT WHICH THEY NEEDED TO RESPOND WITH A FAST ADDITION OF THROTTLE.  THE DESCENT CONTINUED AND AS THEY FOUND THEMSELVES HEADING FOR LOW POWER LINES (2 LINES APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FEET OFF THE GROUND) WHICH THEY HAD NOT SEEN UNTIL THEN.

THE FRONT SEAT PILOT REPORTED LEVELING OFF AND BEGINING A LEFT TURN AROUND THE CROP CIRCLE BEFORE SEEING THE POWER LINES.

BOTH STATEMENTS WENT ON TO SAY THEY TRIED TO TURN LEFT AWAY FROM THE POWER LINES WHEN THE WHEELS HIT THE TOP WIRE WHICH RESULTED IN A VERTICAL DIVE INTO THE GROUND.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA18CA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA029), Oct 26, 2017: Six Chuter West Legend XL (N781SC), Mabton, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid transmission wires.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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