On July 25, 2015, a JOHNNY F ANDERSON BUCKEYE DREAM MACHIN NO SERIES operated by LOGUE GLENN R was involved in an aviation accident near Trenton, SC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The non-certificated pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of directional control during takeoff, and collision with trees during the subsequent rejected takeoff. This summary draws on records from NTSB.
A non-certificated pilot reported losing control of a powered parachute during initial climb after a parachute cord wrapped around a foot pedal steering rod nut, impeding movement. The aircraft drifted right, and during an attempted landing, it departed the runway and struck trees, sustaining substantial damage.
Event Details
A non-certificated pilot was conducting a local flight from a grass runway in a powered parachute. During the initial climb, the aircraft began drifting to the right, and the pilot was unable to maintain control using the foot pedals. The pilot elected to land on the same runway, but during the landing roll, he was unable to stop the powered parachute before it departed the runway and collided with trees.
Damage and Inspection
The powered parachute sustained substantial damage to the airframe during the accident sequence. A post-accident inspection conducted by the pilot revealed that a parachute cord was wrapped around the right foot control pedal steering rod nut, impeding its movement. The pilot stated that he must have overlooked this anomaly during his preflight inspection. He further noted that there were no other mechanical malfunctions or failures of the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.