- Date
- September 15, 2010, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Pleasant Garden, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N377JAPowrachute Airwolf 912
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA Greensboro FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100915047189A
- Case key
- 77311
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 loss of directional control on takeoff during an encounter with a wind gust.
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 pilot of the powered parachute stated that, prior to the flight, he set up a wind sock in a pasture comprised of hilly terrain and lined by trees. Before beginning his takeoff, the wind sock indicated that the wind was calm. During the takeoff, the powered parachute encountered a gust of wind and was blown left where it collided with bushes. As a result of the impact, the vertical front support tube received structural damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation
Factual narrative
The pilot of the powered parachute stated that he set up a wind sock in a pasture located in hilly terrain lined by trees prior to the flight. Before beginning his takeoff, the wind sock indicated the winds were calm. However, during the takeoff, the powered parachute encountered a gust of wind, was blown to the left, and collided with some bushes. The vertical front support tube received structural damage. The nearest weather reporting facility is located 14 miles northwest of the accident site and was reporting no wind gusts at the time of the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site confirmed the pilot's statement of gusty wind conditions. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the powered parachute.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N377JA
- Reported as
- Powrachute Airwolf 912
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- A113ULS
- Airframe hours
- 67
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ricks Walter G III
- Registered owner
- Ricks Walter G III
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special); Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 2, 2009 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- Pleasant Garden, NC
- Destination
- Pleasant Garden, NC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 87 total · 22 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- GSO, 14 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.5 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.