- Date
- July 3, 2013, 07:46 local (14:46 UTC)
- Place
- Fruitland, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- UNREGBuckeye Dream Machine
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA Seattle FSDO
- Case key
- 87696
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 a powered parachute by a non-certificated pilot, and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a vehicle.
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 non-certificated pilot purchased the unregistered powered parachute about a week before the accident and had accumulated 5.5 hours of flight time. During takeoff, the pilot did not maintain aircraft control. The powered parachute subsequently veered off course, and collided with a recreational vehicle resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. One occupant of the recreational vehicle sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot purchased the unregistered powered parachute about a week before the accident and had accumulated 5.5 hours of flight time. During takeoff, the pilot did not maintain aircraft control. The powered parachute subsequently veered off course, and collided with a recreational vehicle resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. One occupant of the recreational vehicle sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Buckeye Dream Machine
- Category
- Powered parachute
- Serial number
- UNKNOWN
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Andrey Bondarenko
- Registered owner
- Andrey Bondarenko
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Fruitland, WA
- Destination
- Fruitland, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Flight hours
- 95 total · 5 in this make and model · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KDEW
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.