- Date
- July 10, 2016, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hartford, KY
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3519TBuckeye Dream Machine
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 93595
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
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined and the pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the aborted takeoff.
Findings · 4
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 student pilot of the powered parachute reported that, during the takeoff roll from an airport parking lot, the engine started to "sputter," so he chose to abort the takeoff. While attempting to do so, he lost control of the powered parachute and collided with a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. A postaccident examination and test run of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 2016, at 1845 central daylight time, a Buckeye Dream Machine powered parachute, N3519T, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff at Ohio County Airport (JQD), Hartford, Kentucky. The student pilot received serious injuries. The powered parachute was privately owned and operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.According to the pilot, he prepared for takeoff from a parking lot at JQD. He started the engine and began the takeoff roll. During the takeoff roll the engine started to "sputter" and the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. While attempting to abort the takeoff, he "lost control" of the powered parachute and collided with a chain link fence. Examination of the powered parachute by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left frame support tube was broken from the main tube structure. A mechanic performed a cursory examination of the engine and test run was performed. During the examination and test run, no anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3519T
- Reported as
- Buckeye Dream Machine (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- 4064
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 197
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 15, 2016
- Departed
- JQD · Hartford, KY
- Destination
- JQD · Hartford, KY
- Airport
- JQD · Ohio County
- Equipment
- None
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 30 total · 15 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OWB, 22 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.