Return to the incident list: Incident List Pilot sustains severe injuries while ground-starting. PPG Type: Foot Launch – Single Occupant Type of Injury: Major Injury

Pilot Details

Age: 60 Weight: 185 Gender: Male Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Advanced – PPG 3 Pilot experience level: 50+ hours

Gear Details

Wing Brand: Model: Size: Paramotor Frame: with

Incident Details

October 7, 2023 8:30 AM Location of the incident: Barceloneta, Puerto Rico Type of Incident: Prop Strike, Pilot Error

On Saturday, October 7th, 2023, a severe accident took place in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, where a veteran paramotor pilot suffered significant injuries while attempting a ground-start.

As is common practice among the Puerto Rican paramotoring community, the pilot ground-started his paramotor. However, the throttle was inadvertently pressed against the ground, causing an unexpected surge in power. This sudden thrust propelled his paramotor forward, causing his hands to come into contact with the propeller, resulting in a severed right thumb tip and a deep gash on his left hand. The impact shattered the propeller, and a fragment struck his chest, fortunately shielded by his phone which was stowed on his chest harness. This debris could have easily hit critical areas like his face or neck. The future functionality of his left thumb remains uncertain due to the depth of the injury.

Alarmingly, many in the local paramotoring community continue to downplay the dangers of ground-starting, often emphasizing details like the throttle’s position. However, the inherent risks of ground-starting cannot be overstated. I believe that this lack awareness is due to the fact that they are taught to ground-start when first learning the sport and this practice quickly becomes normalized. 

For safety’s sake, NEVER ground-start your paramotor, as it’s a predominant cause of injuries in the sport.

Flight Window: Morning Wind Speed: N/A or Unknown Type: N/A or Unknown Phase of Flight: Run-up Type of Injury: Major Injury Collateral Damage: None Analysis of the incident (additional input by the incident investigation team): Photos (if available):

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