Return to the incident list: Incident List Net & prop failure during flight PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 33 Weight: 150 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Paratoys 25 Size: Paramotor Frame: Sky Cruiser MZ-100, approx 52 lbs dry with

Incident Details

August 3, 2007 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

This was the first flight since I had re-assembled my cage and netting from a previous mishap. I used a turnbuckle to get the net tensioning rope tighter than it had been previously. Approx. 15 minutes into the flight while cruising at 200-300′ AGL, there was a thud and the propeller blew apart. I immediately shut off the motor, pulled in the trims, and looked for a suitable LZ. Being over a lot of corn fields, it would be easy to put it down safely, but the tall corn was undesirable. I was traveling into the wind when the propeller blew apart, but there was nothing but corn for a long distance in front of me. I did a 180 and quickly decided the decent terrain under me was going to be hard to get into without possibly over-flying toward a road with power lines. I saw a gravel driveway/parking lot a little south of me that looked to be within glide distance. I headed that way and when I got ready for a final turn into the wind I saw a power line running to the barn at the end of the drive. I quickly adjusted to avoid it and had to make a fast low turn into the wind with immediate flare and landing. Landing was on my feet and pretty gentle in a muddy field. See the picture for a diagram. After inspecting my motor, I believe the net tensioning rope broke, allowing the net to fly back into the prop. There was a new small dent in one of the cage hoop’s radial arms (spreader bars) which tells me the loose net pulled the prop into that cage arm. The net was chopped up pretty good but it was repairable. The propeller was a total loss. LESSONS LEARNED: Be ready for small, hard to see power lines running to houses and barns when looking for an emergency LZ. Also always be scoping for an LZ BEFORE the motor quits or something goes into the prop!

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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