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Pilot Details

Age: 46 Weight: 155 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Reflex Medium, DHV 1 Size: Paramotor Frame: Sky Cruiser, Top 80, 48 lbs. with

Incident Details

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

Pilot attended a fly-in and was excited about being back in the air. He was warned and advised about not doing any aerobatic maneuvers, a style of flying he had adopted in the last year of his flying. Pilot took off, headed over a lake 400 yds. away, and gained altitude up to approx. 400 ft.. He then did approx. three to four wingovers, followed by an asymmetric spiral dive from approx. 250 ft. that he continued until he made impact with the water. His speed during the dive was great, and the impact with the water sent up a spray that could be seen from 500 yds. away by spectators. There was no visual indication that he made an effort to recover from the spiral or exit it at all. Efforts by rescuers to get to him were immediately initiated. By the time they arrived, it was approx. two minutes after the incident. The pilot was approx 120-130 yds. out in the water, and additional time was needed to swim out to get to him. Upon reaching the pilot, rescuers were unable to bring the pilot to the surface without a boat. Paraglider lines, lack of visibility and the motor unit made all rescue efforts impossible from the approx. 10 ft. depth, although rescuers still made repeated efforts anyway. A boat was located and launched approx. 15-20 minutes after pilot first went into the water. Efforts made by EMT crew to revive pilot proved useless. Pilot was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pilot went against the advice and requests of several fellow pilots and chose to do aerobatics without adequate flotation, no radio contact, inadequate altitude, and with no safety support crew with a boat standing by. Pilot was heard in earlier months saying how he was enjoying, “flying up to 500 ft. over water, then doing spiral dives right down to the top of the water, pulling out at the last second .” He was told not to perform these maneuvers right up to 30 seconds before takeoff, but chose to do them anyway.

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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