Return to the incident list: Incident List Inflight spark plug cap disconnect PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 24 Weight: 170 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Swing Mistral 3 DHV 1-2 Size: Paramotor Frame: FB Simonini 110 with

Incident Details

August 30, 2006 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

I was flying level at cruise speed approximately 300 feet AGL. This was my first flight without my instructor. Everything was going fine and I was truly enjoying the experience. The area I was flying has many fields and open areas separated by patches of trees. I was going downwind approaching a larger patch of trees so I decided to gain some altitude just in case my engine should quit. As I applied throttle the engine sputtered then quit as if just thinking about it made it happen. I already had a spot picked out for emergency landing since I was thinking about an engine out. I made a gentle turn 180* into the wind. Once I knew I had the glide path to the field lined up I let go of the break controls and tried to restart the engine with the pull start. I had practiced it before so I know it is possible. After three unsuccessful pulls I gave up and grabbed the brake controls again and made a pretty good landing. Once on the ground I found the spark plug cap had come off the spark plug (Factory standard metal Fresh Breeze type cap). It is my assumption that because my engine is inverted gravity and normal engine vibration had worked it loose. I put it back on and was surprised at how easily I could pull it off. In my preflight I had tried wiggling the spark plug cap to make sure it was properly attached but I did not actually try to pull it off. My local A&P bent the end of the plug that was originally bent outward (I guess to help it go onto the spark plug more easily) inward so it gripped the spark plug. He also made a custom way of safety wiring it so that it is now impossible to come off unless I cut the wire. If you have an inverted engine (spark plug faces ground) please include a tug test in your preflight.

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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