Pilot Debrief

DESTINY 2000 near Eltopia, WA — 2015-05-23

Final reportGAA15LA085
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Date
2015-05-23
Location
Eltopia, WA, USA
Aircraft
DESTINY 2000
Registration
N3376
Category
Powered parachute
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to tell the student pilot to abort the takeoff after the powered parachute experienced wing oscillations, which resulted in the student pilot’s loss of aircraft control during initial climb and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's decision to conduct training in a powered parachute without dual flight controls.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and student pilot were departing in the powered parachute during a fly-in event with the student pilot at the flight controls. The flight instructor reported that the powered parachute experienced left-to-right wing oscillations during the takeoff roll and initial climb and that, about 15 ft above ground level, it rotated sharply downward and to the right and then impacted terrain; this was corroborated by video footage provided by an observer on the ground, which also showed that the oscillations worsened during the initial climb. The flight instructor reported that he was monitoring all of the parachute lines during the takeoff roll and initial climb and that he observed no abnormalities that would have adversely affected the parachute's steering mechanism. According to Federal Aviation Administration guidance on powered parachute operations, the takeoff should be aborted if the parachute experiences severe wing oscillations. The guidance also states that "dual controls are required in the aircraft for training." However, the powered parachute was not equipped with dual flight controls. If the powered parachute had been equipped with dual flight controls, it is possible that the flight instructor would have taken control of the flight and aborted the takeoff. Regardless, the flight instructor should have told the student to abort the takeoff when he first noticed the wing oscillations.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Abort takeoff due to oscillations before reaching 15 feet AGL.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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