Summary
On September 29, 2012, a Buckeye 582 DREAM MACHINE (N7508D) was involved in an accident near North Huntingdon, PA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The operation of a powered parachute by a noncertificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the climb following an aborted landing.
The non-certificated pilot was attempting to land a powered parachute in a field. The field was bordered on one side by trees, and a residence on the other. Following two previous unsuccessful landing attempts, the pilot aborted a third landing attempt about 20 feet above the ground. During the climb the powered parachute drifted to the right toward the trees. The pilot was unable to stop the drift with application of full left pedal and struck a tree. The pilot then increased the engine power to full but the powered parachute continued to descend and impacted another tree. The parachute subsequently caught one of the tree limbs and fell straight down. The powered parachute impacted the ground on all three wheels, resulting in substantial damage to the undercarriage.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA12CA587. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7508D.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The operation of a powered parachute by a noncertificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the climb following an aborted landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The non-certificated pilot was attempting to land a powered parachute in a field. The field was bordered on one side by trees, and a residence on the other. Following two previous unsuccessful landing attempts, the pilot aborted a third landing attempt about 20 feet above the ground. During the climb the powered parachute drifted to the right toward the trees. The pilot was unable to stop the drift with application of full left pedal and struck a tree. The pilot then increased the engine power to full but the powered parachute continued to descend and impacted another tree. The parachute subsequently caught one of the tree limbs and fell straight down. The powered parachute impacted the ground on all three wheels, resulting in substantial damage to the undercarriage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operations, and stated that he should not have tried to land without the aid of a windsock and indicated wind direction.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA12CA587