- Date
- July 19, 2023, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hamilton, MT · private property
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N942WASix Chuter SR7
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administraton
- FAA report
- 20230719009589A
- Case key
- 192684
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 directional control during takeoff and subsequent impact with a tree.
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, after raising the wing and during takeoff, the powered parachute experienced an unexpected right turn. He checked to see if any steering lines were tangled but could not confirm that they were. He attempted to increase the right turn to avoid impacting a tree but was unable to clear it, and the powered parachute came to rest in the treeThis is not supported in the 6120 in the docket. You’ll need to add a record of conversation if you want to keep it. . A stabilizer tube and a center of gravity tube sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N942WA
- Reported as
- Six Chuter SR7
- Category
- Ultralight
- Serial number
- 97-1739-2SR7
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 460
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 103
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 10, 2023 · 19 hours before
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Airframe parachute
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
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 152 total · 152 in this make and model · 152 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.24 inHg
- Observed at
- KHRF, 3 nm away
- METAR
- KHRF 191335Z AUTO 18004KT 10SM 13/05 A3024
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.