What happened
On September 1, 2012, a Buckeye Dream Mach powered parachute was performing an initial climb in a westerly direction near West Caln, Pennsylvania. During the climb, the aircraft experienced a right crosswind, causing the parachute to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the flight path using right turn-bar input; however, the cart struck a tree before impacting the ground. The impact caused substantial damage to the metal tube airframe.
One person sustained serious injuries in the accident, and there were no fatalities. A witness at the scene reported that the aircraft appeared to be flying normally until a gust of wind pushed it into the tree. Weather conditions at a nearby airport 4 miles southeast indicated VMC with a wind of 360 degrees at 5 knots.
The investigation
An inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector at the scene found no mechanical malfunctions or failures on N4258M that would have prevented normal operation. Post-accident examination of the aircraft also revealed no preimpact mechanical issues.