Return to the incident list: Incident List Prop Strike Causing Fire PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: Weight: 184 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Eden III Size: Paramotor Frame: Synergy Snap 100 with

Incident Details

August 21, 2008 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

I had an unexplained fire with my Synergy Snap 100 Paramotor. On take off from a small hill at Malibu Bluff park, CA, I was about 3-5 feet off the ground when I felt a thump and heard my engine race. I lost thrust and landed but fell over on my left side and stomach when the wind caught my wing pulled me over. As I was unhooking my wing I smelled smoke and found my harness was on fire and so was my jacket on my left arm. I immediately unfasten my harness and got out but my left pant leg was on fire now as well as my jacket – I was able to put them out. The unit was now totally on fire, so I call 911 and reported it, as now the grass field was burning. I managed to save my wing but everything else burned, Motor, GPS & Motor monitor, all was lost. I’m OK no bone injuries – landed softly but received 1st., 2nd degree burns on arm & on lower leg and small heat burn on my face. I don’t know what caused the fire – pre-flight check was normal – after I got out of the Hospital, I went back to launch. The motor and frame were destroyed but I did fine the motor air filter broken up about a 200 feet back & left of launch. It looks like it was hit by the prop. It may have gotten sucked into the prop and broke the prop and fuel line – that would explain the high rpm before I shut the engine down. Really don’t know… As I’ve had more time to thing about it – I believe my air filter may have turned in to the prop when nylon fastener apparently broke – prop broke cutting fuel line – fire probably started when I landed. In hind site I should have had two safety straps on that air filter – did that on every thing else. Another pilot in our club with the same unit called to say he replace his nylon fastener with a steel wire…

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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