- Date
- April 15, 2019, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Elizabeth, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5622DAirframes Unlimited Outlaw
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190415002829A
- Case key
- 99273
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 maintain adequate airspeed and his subsequent decision to initiate a turn, which resulted in the powered parachute’s descent and impact with a fence.
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 pilot of the powered parachute reported that, during takeoff from a hayfield, the wind was from the southwest at 6 mph and that he departed to the southwest. He added that, once airborne, the climb rate was "slower than normal," and he began a 180° left turn. On the downwind, the climb rate reduced to zero, and the powered parachute started descending. He realized he did not have enough altitude to complete the 180° turn. The powered parachute impacted the top rail of a fence, and the pilot subsequently shut the magnetos off. The airplane then impacted a second fence and the ground. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located about 16 miles northwest of the accident site reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 245° at 6 knots and that the density altitude was "6,800+" ft.
Factual narrative
The powered parachute pilot reported that, during takeoff from a hayfield, the wind was from the southwest at 6 mph and he departed to the southwest. He added that, once airborne, the climb rate was "slower than normal" and he began a 180° left turn. On the "downwind", the climb rate reduced to "zero" and the powered parachute started descending. He realized he did not have enough altitude to complete the 180° turn. The powered parachute impacted the top rail of a fence, he shut the magnetos off, and after impacting a second fence impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located about 16 miles northwest of the accident reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 245° at 6 knots and the density altitude was "6,800+" ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5622D
- Reported as
- Airframes Unlimited Outlaw
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- OL 00579
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 331
- Engine
- Rotax 582 Blue Head, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 3, 2019
- Departed
- Elizabeth, CO
- Destination
- Elizabeth, CO
- 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 25, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 9,947 total · 411 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 23,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Observed at
- KAPA, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 13, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 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.