- Date
- April 29, 2016, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Fortville, IN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9447TBuckeye Industries Dream Machine 582
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA - Indianapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160429003159A
- Case key
- 93096
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 collapse of the powered parachute's canopy for a reason that could not be determined, because postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the parachute.
Findings · 1
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 sport pilot, who had a flight instructor rating, reported that the accident flight was a test flight following installation of a different canopy on the powered parachute. He reported that he took off from the runway and climbed to about 100 ft above ground level. After making a gentle turn into a light wind, the parachute collapsed. The powered parachute fell to the ground and landed flat, breaking the right landing gear axle. The pilot suffered serious injuries as a result of the fall. The pilot speculated that a combination of turbulence and the effect of the turn could have unloaded the parachute, allowing it to collapse, but he could not be sure. He added that a higher altitude may have allowed the parachute to re-deploy. The pilot reported that the parachute passed an inspection by the manufacturer after the accident.
Factual narrative
On April 29, 2016, about 1640 eastern daylight time, a Buckeye Industries Dream Machine 582 powered parachute, N9447T, was damaged when it struck the ground near Fortville, Indiana. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight was reported to be a flight test following maintenance. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The local flight originated from Whybrew Field Airport (08IN), Fortville, Indiana, shortly before the accident. The pilot reported that the accident flight was a test flight following installation of a different canopy on the powered parachute. He reported that he took off from runway 18 and climbed out to about 100 ft agl. He stated that he made a gentle turn into a light wind and the parachute collapsed. The powered parachute fell to the ground and landed flat, breaking the right landing gear axle. The pilot suffered serious injuries as a result of the fall. The pilot speculated that a combination of turbulence and the effect of the turn could have unloaded the parachute, allowing it to collapse, but he could not be sure. He added that a higher altitude may have allowed the parachute to re-deploy. The pilot reported that the parachute passed an inspection by the manufacturer after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9447T
- Reported as
- Buckeye Industries Dream Machine 582 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Ultralight
- Serial number
- 3547
- Built
- 1996
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed
- 08IN · Fortville, IN
- Destination
- 08IN · Fortville, IN
- Airport
- 08IN · Whybrew Field Airport, runway 36, 1,320 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,035 total · 770 in this make and model · 1,010 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- IND, 23 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 13, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.