Return to the incident list: Incident List Accidental Reserve deployment PPG Type: Type of Injury:

Pilot Details

Age: 41 Weight: 170 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level:

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Size: Paramotor Frame: Nirvana Rodeo with

Incident Details

June 16, 2011 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident:

Recently purchased a new paramotor and moved my reserve from my old unit to my new one. I mounted the reserve on my right side as it was on my old unit for years without incident. The problem was that this location wasn’t appropriate for my new motor. My old unit was an SD Nomad and the right side bar I mounted it to was a bit higher than the Nirvana and on the SD you got into the seat using a kick strap. With the Nirvana you push yourself into the seat with your hands behind your lower back as is the case with many motors. On my third flight I accidentally deployed the reserve while reaching back to push myself into the seat. The deployment happened about 60-70 feet up. I noticed that I had done this and immediately killed the motor. The reserve stopped my forward flight very quickly and as I swung underneath reserve I hit the ground at the lower part of this pendulum. Right before impact I tucked my legs and pulled my brakes on my main wing as best I could. The cage took the impact. Crushed one of the lower cage pieces and cracked a prop. No other damage and no injuries. Clearly I should have done a hang test and evaluated the reserve location more carefully before flying the unit. I test so many units and wings I became complacent when adding the reserve. It’s going in a front mount container from now on.

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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