Return to the incident list: Incident List Loss of Thrust PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 26 Weight: Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: ParaToys 33 Size: Paramotor Frame: BlackHawk MZ34 – 313cc with

Incident Details

June 20, 2007 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

I was approximately 25 minutes into a relatively uneventful flight with another PPG and a hot air balloon all taking off at the same location. I was about 2 miles from the LZ, flying at 500′ AGL when I experienced a sudden loss of RPM and was unable to climb or even maintain level flight.

My initial reaction was that my motor may be running hot, so I radioed the other pilot and advised him of the situation. There was a large grassy area about 1/4 mile to my west, and I advised the other pilot I would be landing there if I was not able to gain enough altitude to return to the LZ. After idling for just over a minute, I was not able to get any additional thrust out of the engine. I noticed that the throttle cable felt loose, but was unable to get any more thrust by pulling the cable either. I then made the decision to make an unplanned landing in the grassy area I had chosen earlier.

I quickly stowed my GPS and fuel mirror, pulled in full trim, and maintained as much thrust as I could in order to ensure I would clear a set of power lines that were adjacent to my chosen LZ. I cleared the power lines easily, made a couple of large turns over the chosen LZ to drop altitude, and made a smooth landing.

Upon inspection of the engine after landing, I found a cracked bracket that the throttle cable assembly attaches to. This prevented the cable from achieving full movement of the throttle. I packed my equipment, moved it to a nearby church parking lot, and waited for the other pilot to come pick me up.

Lessons learned: 1. Always carry a cell phone or be in radio contact with another pilot. 2. Always have an alternative LZ in mind. Right before the incident, I had done a quick survey of the land and had noticed the grassy area. Knowing where I would be able to land greatly reduced the stress of the incident.

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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