# NTSB ERA15CA307: Johnny F Anderson Buckeye Dream Machin, N371P, Trenton, SC, July 25, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 25, 2015, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Trenton, SC - Coordinates: 33.736946, -81.818611 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7369&lon=-81.8186&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91754 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15CA307 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91754/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91754 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA307 ## Probable cause The non-certificated pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of directional control during takeoff, and collision with trees during the subsequent rejected takeoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=05631IK), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05631IK), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=05631IK), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05631IK), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=05631IK), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The non-certificated pilot reported that he was conducting a local flight from a grass runway. During the initial climb, the powered parachute started drifting to the right and the pilot was unable maintain control with the foot pedals. The pilot elected to land on the same runway, but during the landing roll, he was unable to stop the powered parachute before it departed the runway and collided with trees. The powered parachute sustained substantial damage to the airframe during the accident sequence. A post-accident inspection by the pilot revealed that a parachute cord was wrapped around the right foot control pedal steering rod nut, impeding its movement. The pilot stated that he must have overlooked this anomaly during his preflight inspection and that there were otherwise no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The non-certificated pilot reported that he was conducting a local flight from a grass runway. During the initial climb, the powered parachute started drifting to the right and the pilot was unable maintain control with the foot pedals. The pilot elected to land on the same runway, but during the landing roll, he was unable to stop the powered parachute before it departed the runway and collided with trees. The powered parachute sustained substantial damage to the airframe during the accident sequence. A post-accident inspection by the pilot revealed that a parachute cord was wrapped around the right foot control pedal steering rod nut, impeding its movement. The pilot stated that he must have overlooked this anomaly during his preflight inspection and that there were otherwise no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N371P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N371P), registered now, S/N 4186, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: JOHNNY F ANDERSON BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN](https://openairdocs.org/model/johnny-f-anderson-buckeye-dream-machin) (registry code 05631IK) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ser) (registry code 55556, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Powered parachute - Serial number: 4186 - Year built: 1998 - Engines: ROTAX 582 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Logue Glenn R - Registered owner: Logue Glenn R - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 6J6, Trenton, SC - Destination: 6J6, Trenton, SC - Airport: 6J6, Edgefield County Airport, runway 11, 2,640 × 85 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: minor; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 100 total, 100 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: AIK, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150725016539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150725016539A), Jul 25, 2015: Johnny F Anderson BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN, Trenton, SC, Substantial damage. Pilot's statement: On Saturday afternoon July 25, 2015, I took off from the Trenton airport in my ultralight buckeye powered parachute. After reaching a height… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91754. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 847 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431910&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431911&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 337 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431912&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Photographs (item 4, .PDF, 3 photos, 808 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431913&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photographs-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.