Return to the incident list: Incident List Collision with Terrain/Obstruction PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 44 Weight: 185 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Silex Size: Paramotor Frame: Sky Cruiser Top 80 with

Incident Details

January 1, 2006 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

Latter I was told by the power line repair man that these lines carry 13,000 volts of electricity. My friend told me he waited until he stopped swinging then released his harness buckles and jumped about 6 feet to the ground. He was uninjured but emotionally rattled.

At this time several other local pilots and my friend went to retrieve the ppg motor unit. They were shocked mildly and continued the retrieval. After further shock my friend decided to cut the riser loop to release the riser from the carabineer. This probably was done to eliminate further potential shocking. After further discussion with the power line repairman I learned that my friend was miraculously lucky. The repair man emphasized he had not seen this luck in 22 years of servicing power lines with people involved. He stated that a person can dangle a short distance over the ground and can still be electrocuted by the power running through his feet and air then into the ground. He also stated that once a power line temporarily shuts itself off due to a short, it is programmed to reset itself without human input. I think due to the entanglement of the wing, there was constant contact of 2 of the 3 power lines. This contact may have kept the power off in 2 of the 3 lines. This may have kept the pilot alive.

Hopefully my friend and other pilots will learn from this incidence. Power lines can be deadly. My friend was very lucky.

Flight Window: Wind Speed: Type: Phase of Flight: Type of Injury: Collateral Damage: Analysis of the incident (additional input by the incident investigation team): Photos (if available):

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