Plane crash map Locate crash sites, wreckage and more

N9447T accident description

Indiana map... Indiana list
Crash location 39.916667°N, 85.847777°W
Nearest city Fortville, IN
39.932263°N, 85.848035°W
1.1 miles away
Tail number N9447T
Accident date 29 Apr 2016
Aircraft type Buckeye Industries Inc Dream Machine 582
Additional details: None

NTSB Factual Report

On April 29, 2016, about 1640 eastern daylight time, a Buckeye Industries Dream Machine 582 powered parachute, N9447T, was damaged when it struck the ground near Fortville, Indiana. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight was reported to be a flight test following maintenance. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The local flight originated from Whybrew Field Airport (08IN), Fortville, Indiana, shortly before the accident.

The pilot reported that the accident flight was a test flight following installation of a different canopy on the powered parachute. He reported that he took off from runway 18 and climbed out to about 100 ft agl. He stated that he made a gentle turn into a light wind and the parachute collapsed. The powered parachute fell to the ground and landed flat, breaking the right landing gear axle. The pilot suffered serious injuries as a result of the fall. The pilot speculated that a combination of turbulence and the effect of the turn could have unloaded the parachute, allowing it to collapse, but he could not be sure. He added that a higher altitude may have allowed the parachute to re-deploy. The pilot reported that the parachute passed an inspection by the manufacturer after the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

The collapse of the powered parachute's canopy for a reason that could not be determined, because postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the parachute.

© 2009-2020 Lee C. Baker / Crosswind Software, LLC. For informational purposes only.