Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Blackwater Creek Flightpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Plant City, Florida 33565
Sunday, April 1, 2012 8:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight instructor was providing a demonstration/instructional flight to the passenger the day after the powered parachute had been setup as a static display at an air show. After performing a preflight inspection and arranging the parachute, the flight instructor briefed the passenger that they would approach the runway from the northwest, and then depart along the runway to the south. The flight instructor then started the engine, “kited” the parachute, and proceeded southeast toward the runway and the 75-foot-tall trees along its eastern edge. Upon reaching the western edge of the runway, the flight instructor increased the engine power, and the powered parachute lifted off from the ground; however, it was still oriented at an angle to the runway, and it continued on its southeasterly track toward the trees ahead. The flight instructor attempted to use the steering controls of the parachute to steer the vehicle to the right away from the trees but found them to be ineffective. He then attempted to pull on both of the steering lines to give the parachute additional lift, but the vehicle then impacted the tops of the trees and fell to the ground. A postaccident examination revealed a noticeable relative difference in the adjusted length of the left and right steering lines, which was also evident in an onboard video of the accident flight. According to published FAA guidance regarding takeoffs in powered parachutes, “The takeoff surface should be firm, free of debris, and not have any obstructions along the takeoff path.”
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor’s failure to ensure an obstruction-free takeoff path prior to initiating the takeoff and his inadequate preflight inspection of the powered parachute’s flight controls, which resulted in a collision with trees during the takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/1/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 800 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Plant City |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33565 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 280808N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0820828W |
| Event Location Airport | Blackwater Creek Flightpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 9FD2 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 80 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 755 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PCM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 153 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31006 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 13 2013 5:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N415BA |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA264 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | POWRACHUTE LLC |
| Aircraft Model | AIRWOLF 912ULS |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | A134ULS |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1150 |
| Aircraft Category | -- |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 21 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 128 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | POWRACHUTE LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5147 92ND ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | CALEDONIA |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49316 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | POWRACHUTE LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 5147 92ND ST |
| Operator City | CALEDONIA |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49316 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 9FD2 |
| Departure City | Plant City |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 800 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 9FD2 |
| Destination City | Plant City |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 13 2013 5:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |