- Date
- October 4, 2012, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cumming, GA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N580PGPowrachute Pegasus
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121004023199A
- Case key
- 85264
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 operation of the powered parachute by a non-certificated pilot, and his failure to maintain directional control during the initial climb, which resulted in a collision with trees.
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 non-certificated pilot of the powered parachute reported that he aborted his first takeoff because the riser lines to the canopy became entangled. During the subsequent takeoff, the powered parachute encountered a "gust of wind" from the left, and the craft was pushed into trees on the right of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and canopy. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the powered parachute.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot/owner of the powered parachute reported that he aborted his first takeoff because the riser lines to the canopy became entangled. During the subsequent takeoff, the powered parachute encountered a "gust of wind" from the left, and the craft was pushed into trees to the right of the runway which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and canopy. After the accident, the pilot/owner reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that there were no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the powered parachute.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N580PG
- Reported as
- Powrachute Pegasus
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- A058 PEG
- Airframe hours
- 165
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Branch
- Registered owner
- Robert Branch
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 2012 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- 4GA9 · Cumming, GA
- Destination
- 4GA9 · Cumming, GA
- Airport
- 4GA9 · Ebeneezer Airport, runway 09, 1,400 × 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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 3 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- GVL, 11 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 4, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.6 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.