- Date
- September 15, 2009, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- New London, OH
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6126BPowrachute Airwolf
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Columbus FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090915049549A
- Case key
- 74744
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle during takeoff and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The instructional flight in the powered parachute was departing when the student pilot suddenly turned the aircraft to the left while climbing. The flight instructor then turned the aircraft to the right and added full power, but the aircraft contacted a utility line that was in several pine trees along the planned takeoff path. The aircraft then descended and its parachute contacted treetops before falling to the ground and damaging the frame adjacent to the propeller, resulting in substantial damage. The flight instructor was uninjured and the student pilot sustained serious injuries.
Factual narrative
The instructional flight in a powered parachute was departing from the instructor's residence when the student pilot "unexpectedly" turned the aircraft to the left while climbing. The flight instructor then turned the aircraft to the right and added full power, but the aircraft contacted a utility line that was in several pine trees about 21-28 feet in height along the planned takeoff path. The aircraft then descended and its parachute contacted treetops that were adjacent to a road across from the instructor's residence. The aircraft then fell to the ground, damaging the frame adjacent to the propeller, resulting in substantial damage. The flight instructor was uninjured and the student pilot sustained serious injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6126B
- Reported as
- Powrachute Airwolf
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- A089ULS
- Airframe hours
- 76
- Engine
- Rotax 912 ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Real Aviators LLC
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 2008
- Departed
- New London, OH
- Destination
- New London, OH
- Airport
- Private
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 23, 2008
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 4,876 total · 84 in this make and model · 3,936 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3 total · 3 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 57 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 801 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.