Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
Monday, September 23, 2013 18:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that the accident occurred as he was attempting a northbound takeoff from a private grass airstrip. During the takeoff roll, the powered-parachute encountered a "mild" wind gust from the east that partially collapsed the right side of the parachute. The pilot corrected by making a slight left turn, but the powered-parachute became airborne with the right side of the parachute still underinflated. The powered-parachute descended back to the airstrip, bounced, and then yawed left after becoming airborne a second time. The pilot reported that he overcorrected for the yaw and that the fuselage cart swung to the right. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff while the powered-parachute was about 6 feet above the airstrip. The powered-parachute impacted the ground nose first before it rolled over. The pilot reported no preaccident malfunctions or failures with the powered-parachute that would have prevented normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the powered-parachute during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/23/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1845 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | St. Joseph |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49085 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 420057N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0862540W |
| Event Location Airport | Private Airstrip |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PVT |
| 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 | 677 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1853 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BEH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 643 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KBEH 232253Z AUTO 11007KT 10SM CLR 18/08 A30 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32176 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Central Region Duty Officer, C |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2013 4:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6122F |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA555 |
| 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 | BUCKEYE INDUSTRIES |
| Aircraft Model | DREAM MACHINE |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3796997 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 8 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 250 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John D. Gatto |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Stevensville |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 491279568 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | John D. Gatto |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Stevensville |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 491279568 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | PVT |
| Departure City | St. Joseph |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1845 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PVT |
| Destination City | St. Joseph |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2013 4:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 2350 |
| Runway Width | 40 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |