- Date
- October 26, 2017, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mabton, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N781SCSix Chuter West Legend XL
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171026021269A
- Case key
- 96256
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 failure to see and avoid transmission wires.
Findings · 2
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 reported that, during a biennial flight review, he descended to about 30 ft above the ground to fly an arc around a field. While over the field, the powered parachute dropped another 10 to 15 ft, and he added power to compensate before initiating a left turn. He added that, during the turn, he saw transmission wires that neither he nor the flight instructor previously noticed. He applied full power and attempted a turn to avoid the wires. Subsequently, the powered parachute struck the transmission wires and impacted terrain. The powered parachute sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the powered parachute reported that, during a biennial flight review, they descended to about 30 ft. above the ground to fly an arc around a field. While over the field, the powered parachute dropped another 10 to 15 ft. and he added power to compensate before initiating a left turn. He added that, during the turn, he saw transmission wires that neither he nor the flight instructor noticed prior. He applied full power and attempted a turn to avoid the wires. Subsequently, the powered parachute struck the transmission wires and impacted terrain. The powered parachute sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N781SC
- Reported as
- Six Chuter West Legend XL (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- 3172
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 93
- Engine
- Rotax 912E, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 4, 2016
- Departed
- S40 · Prosser, WA
- Destination
- S40 · Prosser, WA
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Sport Pilot, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2017
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 932 total · 185 in this make and model · 699 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KRLD, 27 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 13, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 679 KB 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.