- Date
- December 24, 2007, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hot Springs Vlg, AR
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N719ARInfinity Commander
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20071224829299A
- Case key
- 67359
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 not maintaining clearance/altitude from the trees during takeoff initial climb. Factors were the trees and reported turbulent winds.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during a local personal flight he was climbing after a touch and go. He stated that he "started feeling the [powered parachute] start rocking and rolling. ... We were climbing well enough to clear any trees. As we approached the north end of the pasture I lost altitude and began to swing, as if there were turbulence in that area of the pasture. I realized that I may not clear the trees so I began to cut a sharp right turn to avoid the trees and the propeller caught a branch and shattered and we went down next to a creek bed." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the powered parachute reference the accident flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a local personal flight he was climbing after a touch and go. He stated that he "started feeling the [powered parachute] start rocking and rolling. ... We were climbing well enough to clear any trees. As we approached the north end of the pasture I lost altitude and began to swing, as if there were turbulence in that area of the pasture. I realized that I may not clear the trees so I began to cut a sharp right turn to avoid the trees and the propeller caught a branch and shattered and we went down next to a creek bed." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the powered parachute reference the accident flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N719AR
- Reported as
- Infinity Commander
- Category
- Ultralight
- Serial number
- IPP6-348
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 1, 2007
- Departed
- Hot Springs Vlg, AR
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
- 65
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Observed at
- HOT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.