History of Flight
On June 25, 2017, at 0906 eastern daylight time, an experimental light-sport Buckeye Powered Parachutes Dream Machine 582, registration N50130, was substantially damaged when it impacted power lines and terrain during takeoff near Federalsburg, Maryland. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The powered parachute was owned and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight originating from the pilot's private airstrip.
A neighbor assisted the pilot with unfurling the parachute wing and witnessed the flight. According to the witness, it was the pilot's first solo flight in a powered parachute. The pilot taxied into position for takeoff to the north from the turf runway designated 15/33. After liftoff, the pilot "gave more throttle," and the aircraft turned left. It climbed to about 35 feet above ground level, turned approximately 60° left, and collided with a power line about 245 feet left of the runway centerline. The power line was along a roadway parallel to the airstrip. The witness reported that the engine sounded smooth, continuous, and normal with no interruption of power. The aircraft struck the wires on the near side of the roadway; the pilot was ejected; and both the pilot and aircraft came to rest on the far side of the road.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land and instrument airplane, as well as flight and ground instructor certificates. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued March 27, 1984, with 400 total hours of flight experience reported. The medical certificate was no longer valid for operations requiring a medical certificate; however, the accident aircraft did not require one. Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed a single entry for an instructional flight in a powered parachute (1.2 hours on February 22, 2016, in Dunnellon, Florida) and 6.5 hours of powered-parachute ground instruction in July 2016. No solo endorsement for powered parachutes was recorded. The pilot's friend reported that the pilot had flown a powered parachute with an instructor once in Virginia and once more recently in New Hampshire.
Aircraft Information
The single-engine, tandem-seat, tricycle-gear powered parachute was manufactured in 1995 and powered by a 66-horsepower Rotax 582 engine. Maintenance records were not located during the investigation, and the aircraft's maintenance history could not be determined. The pilot registered the powered parachute in October 2014.
Meteorological Information
At 0845, weather conditions reported at Easton/Newnam Field Airport (ESN), Easton, Maryland, 12 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, included scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, visibility 10 statute miles, wind from 330° at 4 knots, temperature 25°C, dew point 19°C, and altimeter setting 30.05 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The powered parachute came to rest upright and remained largely intact, with some structural tubing and landing gear fractured. All structure and components were accounted for. Flight and engine control continuity were confirmed, and the engine was secure in its mounts. The parachute and lines were adjacent to the airframe. The three-bladed propeller blades were fractured near their roots, and the hub was securely mounted. Fuel lines were intact with no leaks; fuel was observed in the tank. The pilot's lap belt was found unfastened, undamaged, and unstretched. The battery was out of its tray with the positive lead disconnected; the aft carburetor was separated from its rubber intake manifold. An FAA inspector supervised reinstallation, and a test run of the engine at the accident site showed immediate start and smooth, continuous operation with no anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Medical Examiner in Wilmington, Delaware, listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. FAA toxicology testing detected several medications: albuterol, furosemide, valsartan, metoprolol, warfarin, pravastatin, and naproxen, none considered impairing. Additionally, the antidepressant paroxetine and the central nervous system depressant anticonvulsant/anti-tremor medication primidone (with metabolite phenobarbital) were detected. According to the investigation, paroxetine is not one of the FAA's approved antidepressants due to potentially impairing effects, and medical conditions requiring primidone are often impairing; pilots with these conditions or using this medication are advised not to operate airplanes. The pilot's personal medical records indicated a history of multiple conditions, including adult onset diabetes, coronary artery disease, internal defibrillator/pacemaker placement, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, hypertension, depression, elevated cholesterol, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as a tremor treated with primidone. The records did not include a recent assessment of the pilot's depression or discuss side effects from primidone.