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20181117022669A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Aircraft · Melbourne Beach, FL · November 17, 2018

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Date
November 17, 2018 · 17:15 local
Place
Melbourne Beach, FL
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
Ultralight vehicle (Part 103)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
NONE
Reported engine
Vittorazi Motors UNKNOWN
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1

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.

The pilot was flying a powered parachute near the Beach in Melbourne Beach, FL. Witnesses saw the pilot head towards the golf course on the other side of main road. This path took the aircraft across the power lines along the road. A witness saw the aircraft barely make it over the power lines as it headed towards the golf course. The pilot did not fly to the golf course and headed back to the Beach. The aircraft was not able to make it over the power lines the secound time.

The aircraft struck the power lines approximately 1710-1715 local time. The parachute stayed tangled in the power lines and the pilot with the motor fell to ground. After the pilot fell a fire started and bystandards came to his aid.

The pilot suffered serious injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. The pilot's spouse stated that this was his first flight but had done some training prior to the flight. It is unknown why the pilot struck the power lines. A witness stated that it looked like the propeller stopped just before the pilot tried to cross the power lines the secound time. Powerplant failure may be factor. However the pilot has not been availble for interview.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS FLYING A POWERED PARACHUTE NEAR THE BEACH IN MELBOURNE BEACH, FL. WITNESSES SAW THE PILOT HEAD TOWARDS THE GOLF COURSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MAIN ROAD. THIS PATH TOOK THE AIRCRAFT ACROSS THE POWER LINES ALONG THE ROAD. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRCRAFT BARELY MAKE IT OVER THE POWER LINES AS IT HEADED TOWARDS THE GOLF COURSE. THE PILOT DID NOT FLY TO THE GOLF COURSE AND HEADED BACK TO THE BEACH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER THE POWER LINES THE SECOUND TIME.

THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE POWER LINES APPROXIMATELY 1710-1715 LOCAL TIME. THE PARACHUTE STAYED TANGLED IN THE POWER LINES AND THE PILOT WITH THE MOTOR FELL TO GROUND. AFTER THE PILOT FELL A FIRE STARTED AND BYSTANDARDS CAME TO HIS AID.

THE PILOT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT'S SPOUSE STATED THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT BUT HAD DONE SOME TRAINING PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. IT IS UNKNOWN WHY THE PILOT STRUCK THE POWER LINES. A WITNESS STATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE PROPELLER STOPPED JUST BEFORE THE PILOT TRIED TO CROSS THE POWER LINES THE SECOUND TIME. POWERPLANT FAILURE MAY BE FACTOR. HOWEVER THE PILOT HAS NOT BEEN AVAILBLE FOR INTERVIEW.