Return to the incident list: Incident List Hard Landing PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 51 Weight: 185 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Personal Flight XIX, Large (30 Square meters), DHV1/2 Size: Paramotor Frame: Sky Bike SR210GL with

Incident Details

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

At the end of a wonderful flight, I killed the engine at 50 feet AGL and put my legs down for landing. I was gliding with no brakes (arms up). At 3 feet AGL I quickly pulled full brakes. My Angle of Attack increased and my momentum caused me to gain altitude. When my forward motion stopped my feet were 8 feet above the grass. The wing stalled and I dropped straight down. I hit too hard to keep my feet under me and I fell forward onto my knees and to the side. I would have been unhurt except that my left foot was slightly behind me and the motor came down on my ankle and broke the tibia and the fibula. It was not a twisting or stretching break, it was an impact break. A group of friends had gathered to watch the crazy flying man, which increased the embarrassment, but also provided the needed assistance. Ice, packing up equipment, ride home, ride to emergency room were accomplished quickly. Surgery, plate and screws. Cast, six weeks. Physical therapy, two months.

Cause of Incident: Inexperience in landings. I was not aware of the importance of obtaining landing experience without the motor (hill or tow flying) before motor flying. Experiencing your first landings with a motor already on your back increases the risk of mishap. If I had not had a motor on my back when I made the mistake of flaring too hard and stalling, it is very likely that I would not have been injured.

After recovering from my accident, I flew 11 tow flights to gain experience and confidence in landing. My subsequent motor flight was memorable with my first reverse launch and a well controlled landing.

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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