Return to the incident list: Incident List Unexpectedly strong rotor. Lake Shelbyville, IL PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 56 Weight: 155 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Ranger small Size: Paramotor Frame: Skycruiser Snap 100 with

Incident Details

October 22, 2006 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

The pilot had launched into conditions where the wind was from the SSW and there were trees on the edge of the lake about 900 feet to his south. The launch went well and the flight went well to a point. Launch Code forecasted the winds to be at 9mph out of the SSW dropping to 6mph by dusk about 1 1/2 hours later. The pilot noticed a lot of movement in the tops of the trees and very little wind at ground level. Flying away from the lake and further from the trees presented no problem until he climbed to about 400′ AGL. At this altitude there was no appreciable forward progress into the wind. The pilot elected to stay low for most of his flight. He then approached the north edge of the golf course at an altitude of about 100′. This is about 1700′ from the solid tree line at the edge of the lake and in the golf course there are scattered trees. The pilot experience extreme rotor resulting in the wing shooting directly behind him. Then it shot forward to directly in front of him with the tips below the leading edge and the wing folded so the the tips were touching each other. The pilot at this point was plummeting to the ground with no lift. Just before touching the pavement of a small road between a fence and a powerline the wing had reinflated over him and stopped him from smashing into the road with less than 10′ to spare. He had automatically shut off the motor so the wing falling on top of him sustained no damage. The force of hitting the ground was such that he scraped one knee as he fell to his knees on touchdown. Fortunately he was not injured any more than this and he wasn’t any lower when it happened. A friendly observer gave him a ride home in his pickup truck. Home was less than a mile away. The lesson to be learned from this is that flying downwind from large obstructions in any significant wind can be VERY DANGEROUS. Powered paragliders are like ‘feathers in the wind’ and any significant rotor will affect our craft GREATLY!

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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