Return to the incident list: Incident List Motor Inadvertently Goes To Full Power While Start PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 52 Weight: 190 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Size: Paramotor Frame: Black Devil 172 with

Incident Details

October 1, 2009 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

Before diving 110 miles for club flying I start the motor to handle any problems before the trip. I have had what I thought were quick run ups before because, if the motor was hard to start on the 1st 3 pulls, I add some throttle which usually worked excluding a loose belt or other items. This made it jump up in the rpms but I had always been able to back off the throttle with no problem. On this day the motor was not starting and I guess I had adjusted my grip in order to be able to hang on to the frame tighter so I could pull harder but in doing so I had to maneuver the throttle handle against a strap in order to have the throttle partially open. What I didn’t notice was this grip put my thumb knuckle below the top of the handle. So what you say. That prevented me from hitting the kill switch when this beast came to life and the initial thrust pushed the strap I had the throttle on to full power. I was in a shed with a concrete floor and it shoved me 6 feet up against a wall in a mater of seconds. The throttle was wedged full open and I couldn’t hit the kill switch, and I wasn’t going to losen my grip on the frame in order to do so because I thought if I had it would eat me for sure. Wedged against the wall the motor torqued the caged enough that the prop struck it and shatterd, taking the cage, netting, air box, belt, pully, pinion, cam of the pulley, muffler, and the top half of the crankcase with it. I can’t get it across to any of you the feeling I had during this ordeal in order to explain the need for starting these motors in a safe way because we all think, it will never happen to me, I’m careful. I thought so too, and if there weren’t so many incidents like this it would be just me, but give the devices that Jeff has suggested some serious thought, especially the starting stand. It would be cheap to build. In my case I am getting the motor rebuilt and having an electric start put on. It’s to bad for me it had to go this far in order to make me see. I was talked into writing this by my instructor and by Jeff for your possible benefit and my embarrassment. Don’t let it go to waste. Laugh at me and then go get a stand.

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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