Return to the incident list: Incident List Near ground strike, followed by tree strike, rough PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 25 Weight: 170 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Macpara, Muse, 28, DHV1 Size: Paramotor Frame: SD, 100cc single hoop design,70lbs including fuel. with

Incident Details

September 19, 2009 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

This was my first time launching from this field I found. Field measures 150 yards by 130 yards, is in free airspace, and a flight path over the golf green to the upper right allows a congestion free path to open country. As seen in the attached picture, to the left is a main road with high voltage power lines in the middle, and behind is a residential area. I had to launch from the right side of the field due to knee high grass on the left. This meant I would have to turn left initially(against the torque) to set up for a climbout circling to the right.

If I would have launched from the North heading South, a simple right handed climb would have been possible, but in a motor out I would have had to turn, compared to the direction I took, which simply allowed me to glide down to the golf green. A 2-4mph wind was from the north as well, so I had little choice in launch direction anyway.

So onto the flight, I took off quickly and noticed that I was climbing fast enough to simply climb straight and continue over the trees at the end of the field. However, I thought that if I had a motor out or a drop in wind, I didnt want to be just 25ft over the tree top, so I decided to make a left turn(a right turn to the golf course was possibe, but I wanted to be at least 100ft before I flew over, at this point I was about 40-50ft). I went to 1/3 throttle to reduce the torque and began turning. Then suddenly when I was cross wind, the turn slowed significantly,…as if I was full throttle fighting torque. My flight path was west towards the power lines, I was nearing the edge of the field, I went to idle and applied strong left brake.

It felt like suddenly the wind gusted, as the wing surged more than expected and I began a steep dive. Pointing South East, I went to full throttle and applied both brakes lightly. I nearly hit the ground at full speed, clearing the grass by maybe 2 feet. The next thing I know, I look up and I am aimed directly at a small tree about 12 feet high. Flying downwind, full throttle, trying to climb, I tried to turn left. 2 seconds later I go through the left portion of the tree(my Jbar and Jbar seat support saving me from most of the limbs. I luckily continued down the street in between the houses and came to a shoe melting sliding stop 120ft down the road.

Thinking about the whole situation, my first problem was not just climbing out either over the trees or making a small right turn to climb out over the unoccupied golf course, even if it was lower than I wanted. Second was turning against the torque. While I had gone to 1/3 throttle and made left turns before, you never know when it might not turn as quick as you expect. After this I had little choice in the outcome. Once I realized that my left turn was too shallow I did not have space to turn back right without coming much too close to the power lines. After the swoop, a left turn was my only option as I was pointed South East and a right turn would have taken too long and would have left me probably flying into a house across the street. However, against the torque no turn took place and I flew through the tree. Pulling both brakes and hopping the tree wasnt an option either because past that tree, the direction I was heading would have ended me in the front of the other house.

Ironically, the tree is what saved me from very serious injury. Without it, I would have continued to pull left brake, possibly let off throttle, and either flew into a house, hit the ground or turned enough to clear the houses but probably get caught up in a light post or much bigger tree that was down that direction. The tree only went through the right side of my rig, causing my flight path to quickly pull right and send me down a clear street. Damage: Scratched arms, jammed toe, broken prop tip (repairable), frame netting destroyed, and bottom of harness (non structural) cut up from me sitting down on it to avoid road rash during my hard landing. I inspected the wing and lines and all is well. It looks like since I went through the upper left portion of the tree they were high enough to avoid damage. I would have never thought that when I took off with a few tiny trees at my back that in 30 seconds I would be going through one. *picture of the tree*

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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