Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Quartzsite, Arizona 85344
Monday, February 25, 2013 10:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness located adjacent to the accident site reported that the powered parachute took off to the north into the wind. The witness reported that, shortly after the wheels lifted off the ground, the wind shifted from the north to the south-southeast and that the powered parachute veered to the east. Subsequently, the parachute cables struck a windsock, and the powered parachute impacted the ground. The wife of the noncertificated pilot reported that he did not recall anything about the accident sequence.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control after encountering shifting wind, which resulted in collision with a windsock.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/25/2013
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Quartzsite
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85344
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 334440N
Event Location Longitude 1142837W
Event Location Airport Private
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 290
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1052 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID BLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 399
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
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) 30.24
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31910
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2013 5:53PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8028X
NTSB Number WPR13LA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SUMMIT
Aircraft Model II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3012
Certified Max Gross Weight 950
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD DAROLD
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SHIOCTON
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54170-9046
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Bill Housch
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Ranch Murietta
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Quartzsite
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Quartzsite
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2013 5:54PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --