Return to the incident list: Incident List Speed Bar Line Caught On GPS Mount During Reverse PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 35 Weight: 198 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: MacPara Muse II 30 DHV-1 Size: Paramotor Frame: Fly Products Max 115 with

Incident Details

April 5, 2007 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

I have flown with an aviation style GPS and mount hooked to the left comfort/spreader bar many times without any incident or thought of potential problems until this day. Set up for a reverse, wing came up normally, kited a bit, turned and took off. On climb out I noticed a slight turning tendency as well as the harness not feeling right. Found that the left speed bar line had somehow caught around part of the GPS mount. Knowing that the left side of the wings leading edge was being pulled down and accelerated more than the right. I surveyed the situation and decided that landing in this asymetric tension condition is not a good option. I felt that the wing was flying okay with no sign of a collapse or spin, so I climbed to a safe altitude to deal with the situation. I climbed up to about 600-800′ AGL and shut the motor off. Pulled the comfort bar out of it’s socket and disconnected the mount. Made a nice power off landing, chucked the problematic mount into a distant wing bag and re-installed the comfort bar for an uneventful reverse. Things turned out fine this time and this event convinced me to never use a line snaging mount protruding from my PPG rig. The GPS unit will be strapped to my leg or put in a pocket from now on.

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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