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Pilot Details

Age: 45 Weight: 0 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Unknown Size: Paramotor Frame: Unknown with

Incident Details

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

Video (requires Real Player): http://www.usppa.local-dev/Incidents/Parachutal4.rm

Ed: Thanks to Alex Varv for this contribution and his friend Andrzej Szymkowsky who transferred the tape into US format. Alex recorded the video and offered it, along with the report, here for the community to learn from.

In the opinion of Alex Varv and several other experienced pilots, it appears to start with parachutage…where the wing stays fully inflated but starts descending vertically. It stayed flat turning as it stopped flying forward and then the pilot applies full brakes just before touchdown which caused a traditional stall (where the wing falls back).

A significant factor may have been the older DHV 2 (higher performance) wing flown.

Because of the very low altitude, the pilot did not have a chance to recover.As you will see, the pilot was not a novice.

Alex states: “I have personally flown this wing before the accident and it behaved absolutely normally. I have performed some more aggressive maneuvers and the wing did not exhibit any unusual symptoms. It reacted in a sporty but safe way, just as a DHV 2 wing should.

However, DHV 2 wings (especially the older models) are riskier when flown under power because of their less stable characteristics.

I would appreciate any thoughts from anybody about this accident.”

Alex Varv can be contacted at [email protected]

Note: although very dangerous in appearance, this accident did not harm the pilot in any way. He walked away with no injuries. The machine was badly damaged and needed a new cage, engine frame and a propeller.

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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