- Date
- September 1, 2012, 17:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- West Caln, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4258MHandy James L Buckeye Dream Mach
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120901019019A
- Case key
- 84951
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 inadequate compensation for the wind during the initial climb, which resulted in collision with a tree and terrain.
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
According to the pilot of the powered parachute, he took off in a westerly direction with a right crosswind, and during the initial climb, the parachute veered left. The pilot tried to correct the direction of flight, but the cart struck a tree and then impacted the ground, seriously injuring the pilot and substantially damaging the metal tube airframe. According to a witness, the powered parachute was flying “normal” until a gust of wind pushed it into the tree. Postaccident examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation. The wind reported at an airport 4 miles to the southeast of the accident location was from 360 degrees at 5 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the powered parachute, he took off in a westerly direction with a right crosswind, and during the initial climb, the parachute veered left. The pilot corrected with a right turn-bar input, but the cart struck a tree and then impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. According to a witness, the powered parachute was flying “normal” until a gust of wind pushed it into the tree. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Inspector on scene, there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation. The wind reported at an airport 4 miles to the southeast of the accident location was from 360 degrees at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4258M
- Reported as
- Handy James L Buckeye Dream Mach
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- 4399
- Airframe hours
- 140
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 8, 2012
- Departed
- West Caln, PA
- Destination
- West Caln, PA
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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 35 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MQS, 4 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 28, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.